^ The Scented Qarden Qg> 



of jasmine, roses and violets are depicted, the roses 

 denoting Divine love, the violets His humility, and the 

 jasmine the starry heavens He had left to come to this 

 earth. In the beautiful Adoration of the Shepherds, by- 

 Hugo van der Goes, in the Uffizi Gallery, purple and white 

 violets are in the centre of the foreground with lilies, 

 columbines, carnations, and blue and white irises. The 

 Infant Christ, bathed in light emanating from Himself, 

 lies on the ground, beside Him kneels His Mother, 

 around them are angels with jewelled circlets on their 

 brows, to the right adoring shepherds and on the left St. 

 Joseph. Between the Infant Child and the flowers lies a 

 sheaf of corn, symbolising the Bread of Heaven. The irises 

 denote His royal birth, the carnations His divine love in 

 coming to this earth, the columbines the seven gifts of the 

 Holy Spirit, and the violets His humility. 



No one has written more beautifully of the effect pro- 

 duced on the mind by violets than old Gerard : ' March 

 Violets of the Garden have a great prerogative above 

 others, not only because the mind conceiveth a certaine 

 pleasure and recreation by smelling and handling of those 

 most odoriferous Flowers, but also for that very many by 

 these Violets receive ornament and comely grace : for 

 there bee made of them Garlands for the head, Nosegaies 

 and posies which are delightfull to looke on and pleasant 

 to smell to, speaking nothing of their appropriate ver- 

 tues ; yea Gardens themselves receive by these the 

 greatest ornament of all, chiefest beautie and most 

 gallant grace ; and the recreation of the minde which is 

 taken hereby, cannot be but very good and honest : for 

 they admonish and stir up a man to that which is comely 

 and honest ; for floures through their beautie, varietie 



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