plant. As an aquatic, the Lotos is a symbol of the Indian 

 God Vishnu,* he being a personification of water, or humi- 

 dity. Brahma, the creative power, is also sometimes repre- 

 sented as seated on the Lotos, and is borne on its calyx in the 

 whimsical representation of the renovation of the world. 



In the northern parts of India, the petals of the Lotos 

 are blue, as well as red and white : while, in the Southern 

 provinces, the blue flower is not seen. The poets have 

 hence feigned that the crimson hue was imparted to it by 

 the blood of Sivafi issuing from the wound made by the 

 arrow of Kama,l when the God of Love daringly endea- 

 voured to inspire the "king of dread" with an amorous pas- 

 sion; for which presumption, he was reduced to ashes: or, as 

 some say, to a mental essence, by the fire which issued from 

 the forehead of the " three-eyed God." 



This aquatic Lotos, is also held in high veneration in 

 Egypt. A fine bust of Isis, (one of their deities,) emerging 

 from a flower of the Lotos, which belonged to the late Mr. 

 Townley, was, on its arrival in England, taken, without hesi- 

 tation, for Clytie changing into a sun-flower; what is meant 

 for the Lotos, having a great resemblance to the Helianthus. 

 This error, very striking to botanists, was immediately cor- 

 rected by the excellent Mr. Dryander, whose accuracy only 

 exceeded his vast knowledge. [See Rees 1 Cyclopedia.] 



* Vishnu, in Hindoo Mythology, is one of the chief deities of the 

 trimurti or triad. He is reckoned the second person of this mysterious 

 Unity, being a personification of the preserving power, wisdom, space, 

 the present, water. 



Brahma, the first person, or creative power, matter, the past, earth. 



f Siva, the third person in the triad, represents the destructive 

 energy, justice, time, the future, fire. 



J Kama, is the Hindoo God of Love. And, according to Sir Wil- 

 liam Jones, " appears evidently the same with the Grecian Eros, and the 

 Roman Cupid." 



His bow of Sugar-cane or flowers, with a string formed of bees, 

 and his five arrows, each pointed with an Indian blossom of a healing 

 quality, are equally new and beautiful. 



Sir W. Jones has addressed a spirited hymn to this deity, in which 

 Vasanta, (the personification of the season Spring) the bosom friend of 

 Kama, is represented as preparing the bow and shafts for his mischiev- 

 ous friend. 



" He bends the luscious cane, and twists the string 



With bees ; how sweet ! but ah ! how keen their sting ! 



He, with five flow'rets, tips thy ruthless darts, 



Which, through five senses, pierce enraptur'd hearts: 



Strong Champa rich in odo'rous gold ; 



Warm Jlmer, nurs'd in heavenly mould ; 



Dry Nakeser, in silver smiling ; 



Hot Kitticum our sense beguiling: 



And last, to kindle fierce the scorching flame, 



Love-shaft, which gods, bright Beta, name." 



The Champa, or Champaka, is a polyndria polygynian flower, the 

 Micheha of European Botanists; it is of two sorts, white and yellow; 

 small, and in its foliage like an expanded rose-bud, and of a powerful 

 fragrance. 



The Amer, is said by some to be the Mango flower. 



Dry Nakeser, is a handsome flower with white and yellow petals. 



The Bela, is a beautiful species of Jasmine. 



LOVE IN-A-MIST. 



Nigella Damascena. 



Nigella, from Niger, black, in allusion to the colour of 

 the seeds. 



There are several species of Nigella, or fennel flower. 

 Nigella Damascena, or common Fennel flower, Devil in-a- 

 bush, Love in-a-puzzle, etc., is a native of corn-fields in the 

 South of Europe, a hardy annual, with double varieties, va- 

 rying with white and pale-blue petals. Flowers terminal, 

 solitary, encompassed by a circle of leaves, much like the 

 rest. Nectaries five, alternate with the petals; their claw 

 purple; limb green, bent upward at a right angle, with a 

 spreading, purple, flat, bluntly two-lobed, hairy under lip. 

 The petals, in the double variety, are multiplied; but nume- 

 rous stamens remain to perform their office : leaves as finely 

 cut as those of fennel, but flat. 



LOVE LIES-A-BLEEDING. 

 Jlmaranthus Caudatus. 



(See Amaranth.) 



The long pendulous Amaranth, with pink seeds, and 

 purple-red flowers, is commonly called "Love lies-a-bleed- 

 ing." 



Campbell has introduced it into his poem of " O'Con- 

 nor's child." 



And wherefore dost thou love this flower 



To call " My love-lies-bleeding?" 

 This purple flower my tears have nursed; 



A hero's blood supplied its bloom: 

 I love it, for it was the first 



That grew on Connocht-Moran's tomb. 



* # * # 



And cherish, for my warrior's sake, 



The flower of " Love-lies-bleeding." 



LUPINE. 

 Lupinus. 



Lupinus, so called by Pliny, and other ancient writers . 

 Professor Martyn says, that the name owes its origin to Lu- 

 pus, a wolf, because plants of this genus ravage the ground, 

 by overrunning it, after the manner of that animal. 



Lupinus is, also, said to be derived from the Greek 

 xua-n, grief, whence Virgil's epithet " tristes lupini" from 

 the fanciful idea of its acrid juices, which, tasted, produced a 

 sorrowful appearance in the countenance. Both of these 

 ideas are avowedly taken from Vossius. R. Ency. 



Lupine is a kind of pulse, which was much cultivated 

 by the Romans. Pliny recommends the white lupine as giv- 

 ing a fresh colour and cheerful countenance to those who ate 

 them. 



The eating of Lupines was, also, thought to brighten 

 the mind, and quicken the imagination It is related of 

 Protogenus, a celebrated painter of Rhodes, who flourished 

 about the year 328 before Christ, that, during the seven years 

 he was employed in painting the hunting piece of Jalysus, 

 who is supposed to be the founder of the state of Rhodes, he 

 lived entirely upon lupines and water with an idea that this 

 aliment would give him greater flights of fancy. 



