102 LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS. 
ACANTHUS. 
THE ARTS. 
The Acanthus delights in hot climates by the 
side of great rivers. It thrives, nevertheless, in 
temperate climates. The tasteful ancients adorned 
their furniture, their vases and their costly dresses, 
with its elegant leaves. Virgil says that the robe of 
Helen was embroidered with a wreath of Acanthus. 
This charming model of the arts has thus be- 
come their emblem, as it might also be of the genius 
which causes its possessor to excel in them. When 
any obstacle obstructs the growth of the Acanthus, 
it puts forth fresh force and grows with additional 
vigour. Thus genius is strengthened and exalted 
by the very obstacles, which it cannot overcome. 
It is related of Callimachus the architect that, as 
he was passing near the tomb of a young female, 
who died a few days before her marriage, touched 
with pity, he approached to throw flowers on it. 
An offering had preceded his : the nurse of the 
