SENTIMENT OF FLOWERS. 11 



sentiment. For example : A rose-bud, with 

 its thorns and leaves, is understood to 

 say, " I fear but I hope." The same re- 

 versed, would signify that " You must neith- 

 er fear nor hope." You may convey your 

 sentiments very well by a single flower. As 

 the second rule : take the rose-bud which 

 has already served us for an example, and 

 strip it of its thorns, it tells you that " There 

 is everything to hope." Strip it of its leaves, 

 it will express that " There is everything to 

 fear." 



The expression of nearly all flowers may 

 be varied by changing their position. Thus, 

 the marigold, for example : placed upon the 

 head, it signifies " distress of mind ;" upon 

 the heart, " the pains of love ;" upon the 

 breast " ennui." It is also necessary to know 

 that the pronoun /is understood by incli- 

 ning the flower to the right, and the pronoun 

 thou by inclining it to the left. 



Such are the first principles of this mys- 

 terious language. Love and friendship 

 ought to join their discoveries to render it 

 more perfect ; these sentiments, the most 



