We find, elsewhere, this Roman crown of Myrtle was 

 called the oval crown, and given to those who were entitled 

 to the honours of the lesser triumph, called ovation. It was 

 customary for the Roman generals, in the greater triumphs, 

 to sacrifice an ox; and, in the lesser, a sheep in Latin ovis, 

 whence the word ovation. 



In Sparta, the general who put a period to a war, by po- 

 licy or persuasion, sacrificed a bullock; but he, whose success 

 was owing to force of arms, offered only a cock : for, though 

 they were a very warlike people, they thought it more honour- 

 able, and more worthy of a human being, to succeed by elo- 

 quence and wisdom, than by courage and force. 



In Herodotus, we are told that the ancients expressed 

 triumph and joy by the Myrtle. " The hero wore it as a 

 mark of victory; the bridegroom, on his bridal day; and friends 

 presented each other with myrtle garlands, in the conviviality 

 of the banquet. Venus is said to have been adorned with it, 

 when Paris decided. in her favour the prize of beauty; and, 

 for this reason, it was deemed odious to Minerva." 



[See notes on Polymnia.] 



Myrtle was the symbol of authority for magistrates at 

 Athens. 



Concordia, the goddess of Peace and Concord, at Rome, 

 is represented holding in one hand a pomegranate; in the 

 other, a bundle of Myrtle. The nature of these trees is, that, 

 if they be planted a good space apart, they will meet, and 

 mingle or entwine their branches. 



The Myrtle, on thy breast or brow, 



Would lively hope and love avow. J. H. Wiffin. 



NARCISSUS POETIC. 

 Narcissus Poeticus. 



Narcissus, a name adopted from the poets, who have 

 fabled that the flower which bears it, originated in the trans- 

 formation of a beautiful youth, who pined away with admira- 

 tion of his own image in a fountain . Some have derived it 

 from a Greek word, va^, stupor alluding to the effects of 

 the too powerful odour of the flower; which, in some instan- 

 ces, produce head-ache, and a partial loss of recollection. 



The name of the youth might aptly apply to the stupidity 

 of his passion, in slighting the fair Echo, in favour of his own 

 shadow: as, also, to the flower, with its reputed narcotic 

 properties, before Ovid elegantly combined them. 



" When one fair virgin of the slighted train, 

 Thus pray'd the Gods, provok'd by his disdain; 

 0, may he love like me, and love in vain." 



Jlddison's Ovid. 



For, as his own bright image he survey'd, 

 He fell in love with the fantastic shade; 

 And o'er the fair resemblance hung unmov'd, 

 Nor knew, fond youth! it was himself he lov'd. 



Same. 



The Poetic Narcissus, JV. Poeticus, is the largest of the 

 white kinds; and known, from all others, by the crimson bor- 

 der of its very shallow, and almost flat, cup of the nectary. 



The double variety is most frequent in gardens: sometimes, 

 there are two flowers in a sheath. 



The JV". Jlngustifolia, narrow-leafed, crimson-edged 

 Narcissus, is the only one of the genus that resembles it; but 

 it is scarcely above half so large, with leaves of a narrower 

 proportion and flatter form, and the edge of the nectary more 

 erect. 



It flowers in April, full six weeks before the Poeticus. 



Narcissus fair, 

 As o'er the fabled fountain hanging still. 



Thomson. 



For him the sister-nymphs prepare his urn, 

 When, looking for his corps, they only found 

 A rising stalk, with yellow blossoms crown'd. 



Addisorts Ovid. 



NASTURTIUM. 



Tropseolum. 



Tropieolum, the diminutive of Tropseum, a warlike tro- 

 phy. 



This fanciful, but elegant name, was chosen by Linnaeus 

 for the present singular and striking genus, because he con- 

 ceived the shield-like leaves and the brilliant flowers, shaped 

 like golden helmets, pierced through and through, and stained 

 with blood, might, very well, justify such an allusion. 



Nasturtium All that I can find in relation to this word 

 is in Ains worth; he says " nasitertium, quod nasum tor- 

 queat the herb called cresses, or nose-smart." Varro. 



The name of Indian cress, applied to it, is in reference 

 to the cress-like flavour of the herbage. 



The Nasturtium major, or Indian Cress, is now the 

 most commonly cultivated species. It was a daughter of 

 Linnaeus, Elizabeth Christina, who first observed it to emit 

 sparks, or flashes of light, in the morning, before sun-rise, 

 during the hottest months of summer; as, also, at twilight 

 in the evening: but not after total darkness came on. These 

 singular scintillations were shown to her father, and other 

 philosophers. 



The ceasing to shine of this plant, after twilight, might 

 induce one to conceive that it absorbed and emitted light, 

 like the Bolognian phosphorus, or calcined oyster-shells, so 

 well explained by Mr. B. Wilson, and others. 



The light of the evening, at the same distance from noon, 

 is much greater than the light of the morning. This is sup- 

 posed to be owing to the phosphorescent quality of almost all 

 bodies, in a greater or less degree; which thus absorb light 

 during the sunshine, and continue to emit it again for some 

 time afterwards; though not in such quantity as to produce 

 apparent scintillations, as in this flower. 



[See Darwin's Notes.] 



" Ere the bright star, which leads' the morning sky, 

 Hangs o'er the blushing east his diamond eye, 

 The chaste Tropo leaves her secret bed; 

 A saint-like glory trembles round her head; 



# * * # 



O'er her fair form, the electric lustre plays, 

 And cold she moves amid the lambent blaze 



