62 THE BOUQUET. 



Far back amid the flitting shadows of grey antiquity, and even 

 in the dim twihght of the morning of creation, may we perceive 

 the graceful form of these flowers, the fairest smiles of the Holy 

 One made tangible to mortal vision. And when, in the Garden of 

 the Lord, our primal Ancestor awoke from his " deep sleep," the 

 first objects that greeted his wondering eyes, were lovely Twolips, 

 blooming upon a stem of inexpressible grace, while from the petals 

 came perfumes so audible to the ear and heart of this initial mortal, 

 that ecstacy filled his soul, and bright, prophetic visions of on-coming 

 generations of humanity spread out like a halo of glory around him. 

 And when the first Bride " walked in the Garden " or reclined 

 beside the bubbling sources of Pison, and Gihon, and Hiddekel and 

 Euphrates, sweet Tulips bloomed in her path, or stood sentinels 

 around her couch, for in that Paradise was " every herb bearing 

 seed which is upon the face of all the Earth." 



Upon the drenched summit of Arrarat, amid the Olive-trees upon 

 its margin, and the Citron and Pomegranate of the plain below, 

 where rested the spring of the Bow of Promise, Tulips bloomed in 

 all their wonderous beauty. 



" And sure more lovely to behold 



Might nothing meet the wistful eye, 

 Than crimson fading into gold 



In streaks of fairest symmetry." 



Langhorn. 



A few generations, and the whole region to Iran was redolent 

 with Twolips, from whence, the adventurous children of the navi- 

 gator-prophet transplanted them in the soil of " barbaric Ind," — 

 the *' clime of the South, the land of the Sun," and the Western 

 domain on the border of the " Sea of Tarshish," the 



" land of the Cedar and Vine, 



Where the flowers ever blossom, the beams ever shine." 



