THE BOOK OF ROSES 



INTRODUCTORY 



FOR the past two thousand years at least the Rose has 

 held the title of the Queen of flowers, for Sappho, who 

 lived six centuries before Christ, wrote, " If Jupiter 

 wished to give the flowers a queen, the Rose would be 

 their queen." And Anacreon devotes an entire ode to 

 praises of the Rose. 



" Friends ! form your accents with mine, in singing 

 the season of flowers, and the Rose of spring. 



" The Rose is the sweet perfume which the mouths of 

 the gods exhale ; the joy of mortals, the loveliest orna- 

 ment of the Graces in the flowery season of love, and 

 the dearest delight of Venus. 



" The Rose is the object of the songs of the poets, the 

 favourite plant of the Muses. 



" Though she wounds us with her thorns, we gather 

 her with pleasure. What delight to hold this flower 

 consecrated to love, and to breathe its sweet odours ! 



" Ah ! what should we be without the Rose ? 



" Our poets sing of the rosy fingers of Aurora, the 

 rosy arms of the Nymphs, the cheeks of Venus, tinted 

 with Roses. 



" The Rose is useful to the sick ; she braves the dura- 

 tion of years ; agreeable even in decay, she preserves the 

 perfume of her youth. 



"What shall I say of her origin ? When the Sea formed 

 from her froth and displayed on her waves the beautiful 



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