22 LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS. 
to her lover, and this token was received by the 
grateful favourite with a low bow. 
Plants may in many respects be regarded as be- 
ings closely allied to man, and they frequently exer- 
cise an important influence over us. The following 
remarks on this subjectet suggested themselves to 
Matthisson, the German poet, while journeying 
along the Cosa to Domo d'Ossola. " The beautiful 
cyclamen, which blooms along both sides of the 
road, continually reminded me of the delightful 
summer day which I spent in company with Salis 
and his wife, at a shepherd's hut in the neighbour- 
hood of Malans, where for the lirst time I saw this 
flower growing wild. I have never since beheld the 
cyclamen without being reminded of the beloved 
friends with whom I first plucked and examined it, 
and of the smiling landscape with which we were 
surrounded. There are various other plants, the 
sight of which also revives in my mind recollections 
of dear and interesting persons, and which brings 
the scenes of early youth forcibly before me, as the 
strains of the Hans des Vaches, when heard in a 
foreign country, remind the Swiss peasant of his 
native mountains. 
