232 WILD FLOWERS. 



" The rose has but a summer's reign, 

 The daisy never dies." 



This indeed is very far from true as regards the 

 duration of the rose-tree, though it may still partly 

 apply to the blossom ; for Humboldt mentions that 

 it " has been ascertained" that the dog-rose (R. 

 canlnoi) will survive at least eight hundred years.* 



In the Persian and Turkish, the word Gul (Giul), 

 which signifies flowers in general, ( is applied to the 

 rose in particular, on account of the high estimation 

 in which it is held ; and so, in Arabic, is the term 

 Werd. Syria is the land from whence sprang 

 the celebrated damask-rose, or rose of Damascus, 

 which still bears the name of its eastern home, the 

 earthly paradise of the Arab, the fair city which 

 Mohammed refused to enter, after he had gazed on 

 it from afar, lest since it was but promised to man 

 that he should enjoy one heaven so beautiful a 

 rest on earth should be obtained at the price of the 

 eternal rest hereafter. 



The Bible says, " the desert shall rejoice, and 

 blossom as the rose ; " and though commentators 

 have disputed whether the flower referred to is the 

 " rose," yet as this plant is a native of Syria, there 

 is no physical reason against it. The older travellers, 

 who often saw a marvel where they deemed it right 

 that a marvel should exist, represent the rose of 

 Sharon to be a peculiar species, " redder and more 

 beautiful, and larger " than any other kind ; and 

 ever shewing forth, in its deepened hue, a memorial 



* " Aspects of Nature." 

 t As Gtil ba ferman, for benefse, " violet." 



