78 FLORAL EMBLEMS. 



BIRTH. 



DITTANY . Origanum Dictamus . 



O 



" A branch of healing dittany she brought, 



Which in the Cretan fields with care she sought." 



Virgil 



This plant, so celebrated for having been se- 

 lected by Venus for the cure of ^Eneas, is pre- 

 sented as the symbol of nativity or birth; 

 perhaps from the phenomenon in its natural 

 history. These flowers exude a viscid juice, 

 which towards the evening exhales in vapour 

 or gas, and which is so ignitible, that the 

 smallest flame will set it in a blaze, which 

 runs over the whole plant without causing the 

 least injury. 



" Contemplez cette fraxinelle, 



Lors qu' Apollon fuit sous les eaux, 



A cote de sa tige frele 



Agiter d' imprudens flambeaux ; 



A 1' instant sa robe legre 



S' embra.se, etincell de feux, 



Et le jour, inquiet, douteux, 



Croit encor regner sur la terre." 



