84 TRE ASSOCIATIONS OF FLOWERS 
the head. Another property of the rosemary is, it affects 
the heart. Let this rosmariniis, this flower of men, en- 
signe of your wisdom, love, and loyaitie, be carried, not 
only in your hands, but in your hearts and heads.” 
The spiced ale and wine which filled the tankards at 
the feasts of former days, were flavoured by the rosemary 
sprig; and one cannot help wondering at the taste of our 
forefathers, when we find that the liquor was thought to 
be greatly improved by a strong flavour of this plant, with 
which it was stirred when brought to table. Among the 
Christmas festivities which were held in former years, 
when Father Christmas and his attendants were person- 
ated, New Year’s Gift was represented by a man “ wearing 
a blue coat, and holding in his hand a sprig of rosemary.” 
The boar’s head, too, that famous dish, which held the 
place of our roast beef on the Christmas table, was duly 
“crested with bays and rosemary;” and the silver leaves 
of this shrub mingled with the shining holly and yellow- 
green mistletoe, when the houses were annually decked 
with greens. In those days certain greens were used to 
deck the rooms and churches, at various seasons of the 
year. Thus the mistletoe, holly, and rosemary were dis- 
placed by box, and afterwards by other plants, as the 
different festivals and saints’ days occurred. This we 
learn from Herrick : 
“ Down with the rosemary, and so, 
Down with the bales and mistletoe, 
Down with the holly, ivie, all 
Wherewith ye deck the Christmas hall ; 
No one least branch leave there behind, 
For look how many leaves there be 
Neglected there, maids, ’tend to me, 
So many goblins ye shall see.” 
The rosemary blossoms during the frosts of winter, 
bearing a purple flower, of the shape which is called by 
botanists labiate, on account of its resemblance to the 
lips. A waxy substance exudes fromi this plant; and the 
Hungary water, so useful to bathe the head and face 
affected by cold, is made chiefly from the oil procured 
by distillation, from every part of this shrub, but said 
to exist more particularly in the flower-cups. 
