PASSION-FLO WER. 



PASSION-FLOWER (Passiflora c^r2^/^«).— CHRISTIAN 



Faith. 



" High o'er the pointal, decked with gold, (emblem mysterious to behold!) 



A radiant cross its form expands ; 

 Its opening arms appear to embrace the whole collective human race, 



Refuse of aU men, in all lands." — ^Anon. 



A VIVID imagination has traced in this flower figures of 

 a crown of thorns, the scourge, the sponge, the nails, and the 

 five wounds of Christ ; on account of these fancied resem- 

 blances it has been called Passiflora, or the Passion-flower. 



PATIENCE DOCK {Rumex Patientia).—?A.llKi(C^. 



Medical science used to avail itself of the roots of this 

 plant, which are extremely bitter. The name is ambiguous. 

 It is used ambiguously by Mademoiselle Scudery, "La 

 patience n'est pas la fleur des Franqais" Passerat has also 

 written in his Jardin d' Amour, 



" On peut en ce jardin cueillir la Patience, 

 De la prendre en amour je n'ai pas la science." 



THE P^ONY (Paonia officinalis).— SnhM^. 



This flower has been made emblematical of Shame, 

 because Rapin, in his poem, Des Jardins, speaking of the 

 Paeony, says, "They are not the blushes of modesty which 



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