" Beautiful maid discreet. 

 Where is the mate that is meet, 



Meet for thee — strive as he could — 

 Yet will I kneel at thy feet, 

 Fearing another one should, 

 Violet ! " 



In many parts of rural Germany the 

 custom still obtains of decking the 

 cradles of children and the bridal beds 

 of young girls with wreaths of violets, 

 — a ceremony which is known to have 

 been used among the Celts as well 

 as the Greeks. In Brandenburg and 

 Silesia the violet is held as a specific 

 against ague, while nearly everywhere 

 to dream of this flower is sure to bring 

 good luck. 



There is no country, however, where 

 the violet is held in such affection 

 as in France. It is associated with 

 the tragic fate of one of the great- 

 est men that ever lived, — Napoleon 

 Bonaparte. 



Four flowers only in the long list 

 57 



