MYSTIC PLANTS. 445 



exhaustively treated, is the " language of flowers," in 

 its broadest and most philosophical aspect. It is 

 more true of such countries as Persia and India 

 than of England and France, that every indigenous 

 flower has become the symbol of some attribute or 

 idea, and hence it speaks a language to the natives 

 of those countries of which we have not learnt the 

 alphabet. The Hindoo or the Parsee sees a symbol 

 in every object and in every act of his life ; o^lr in- 

 terest in flowers is more sensual ; we admire their 

 colour, their form, their odour, and, if these gratify us, 

 we are content. Perhaps we might with profit study 

 the language of flowers in the East, and find some- 

 thing to learn from the Parsee or the Hindoo. 



Bring flowers to the shrine where we kneel in prayer, 



They are nature's offering, their place is there ; 



They speak of hope to the fainting heart ; 



With a voice of promise they come and part ; 



They sleep in dust, through the wintry hours ; 



They break forth in glory — bring flowers, bright flowers ! 



