

THE ROSE. #1 
heat of the sun disengaged the essential oil from 
the water, and their majesties having observed 
the fact, invented Otto of Roses. When the 
Soldan, Saladin, who had so much trouble with 
our hard-fisted King Richard, and his turbulent 
Christian friends, took Jerusalem in 1188, he 
would not enter the temple, which he profanely 
called a mosque, until he had its walls washed 
with rose-water; and Samet assures us that five 
hundred camels were no more than sufficient to 
earry the purifying fluid. Also after the taking 
of Constantinople by Mahomet II, 1455, the 
church of Saint Sophia was solemnly purified 
with rose-water before it was converted into a 
mosque. The high priest of the Hebrews wore 
a crown of roses when he offered up certain 
sacrifices under the Mosaic dispensation, and it 
was perhaps in remembrance of this fact, that 
the Synod of Nismes, which was held in the 
third century, enjoined every Jew to wear a 
rose on his breast, as a distinguishing mark of 
his inferiority. In many countries, the Jews still 
celebrate the festival of Eastern Flowers; during 
which they ornament their lamps, chandeliers 
and beds with roses. 


