10 THE LANGUAGE AND 



of some quality, did so either from ; ts con- 

 nexion with some mythological, warlike, or 

 historical event, or from the circumstance 

 of the predominating quality of the plant 

 being similar to that which it was intended 

 to represent. In the research we were com- 

 pelled to make, in preparing for publication 

 " The Sentiment of Flowers,"* we found 

 that time, instead of rendering their senti- 

 ments less appropriate, had confirmed their 

 fitness, and continually added new charms 

 to the language. 



Little study is necessary to become a pro- 

 ficient in the science here taught ; nature 

 has been before us. It will be sufficient to 

 give two or three rules, which the reader 

 will do well to learn, and then by reference 

 to the Vocabulary he will be enabled to con- 

 verse in the language of flowers. By the 

 first rule, a flower, presented inclining to the 

 right, expresses a thought ; reversed, it is 

 understood to convey the contrary of that 



* In most cases, this book gives the reason why a 

 flower is made emblematical of the quality it repre- 

 sents 



