324 THE AESTHETICS OF 



others, what languages directly appropriated the forms, the 

 original authors. We are even in obscurity where the 

 peculiarity of the symbol points to wholly definite times 

 and places in history. The Moslem who returns from 

 Mecca, brings back the Aloe * as the testimony of his pil- 

 grimage, and hangs it up, with the point turned towards 

 Mecca, over his threshold, which then can never more be 

 approached by evil spirits. This custom, the superstitious 

 portion of which has extended to the Jews and Christians 

 in Cairo, has certainly some peculiar connection with the 

 origin of the pilgrimage to Mecca and with the nature of 

 the plant, but what, we know not. 



Many of the figures and symbols formerly in use have 

 become transformed in the course of time, others have taken 

 their places when more accurate observation of Nature has 

 shown that these express more vividly and pregnantly the 

 idea to be depicted. Nay, we may often conjecture the 

 castigating satire of a nation in such changes. The old 

 German Honesty f is indeed a somewhat substantial, though 

 rude and thorny plant, but durable in form and inde- 

 structibly true in colour, while, on the contrary, what is 

 now called Honesty,! is a little blue flower, falling almost 

 as soon as plucked, and its certainly fair, enticing colour is 

 bleached by a few hours' exposure to the sun. 



But why accumulate these particular citations, since 

 every educated person who has a little acquaintance with 

 the spirit of his mother-tongue, will call to mind these 

 figures from the life of plants, in thousands, from its tradi- 

 tions, fairy tales and poems. 



It might perhaps be more important and more in- 

 teresting to seek out more in the mass, the elements of the 



* Aloe perfoliata vera. f Eryngium. 



J Veronica chamsedrys. 



