io8 THE ASSOCIATIONS OF FLOWERS 
signifying perfume. The volatile oil, which exists in 
glands in the bark and leaves of this plant, is the cause 
of its sweet odour. It is thought to have considerable 
effect in improving the hair, and is therefore a frequent 
ingredient in the pomade employed for this purpose. 
The whole plant has a singularly astringent property, 
and this is peculiarly partaken by the oil. An amusing 
anecdote, taken from the ‘ Dictionnaire Portatif d’Histoire 
Naturelle,’ may serve to prove its astringent nature. A 
gentleman who was accidentally left alone in the boudoir 
of a lady, employed himself in examining the contents 
of several vases, which were scattered about the room. 
Not being altogether destitute of that failing so generally 
attributed to the female sex, he placed himself before a 
glass, and endeavoured to improve the beauty of his lips, 
by putting upon them some pomade containing myrtle 
oil. He was interrupted in the operation by the unex- 
pected entrance of the lady, whom he was awaiting ; and 
the youth upon attempting to address her, found his lips 
completely closed by the adhesive property of the po- 
made. A sudden glance at the open vase in which it 
was contained, explained to the lady the cause of his di- 
lemma, and produced a burst of laughter at his expense, 
which, if it had not the effect of curing his vanity, 
would at least render him more cautious in its indulgence. 
The fragrant essences of different kinds which are pre- 
pared by the perfumer, are the volatile oils of plants, 
and are extracted either by the process of expression, or 
by that of distillation. The aroma which delights us far 
more than the perfume which we purchase — that odour 
of spicy shrub or flower which is borne upon the gale, or 
crushed out from the plants at our feet, is the more eva- 
porable part of their volatile oils, escaping from their re- 
servoirs in the blossom, leaves, or bark. Every plant 
which delights us by its fragrance, which contributes its 
sweetness to the breath of morning or evening, has a 
peculiar volatile oil. 
The myrtle is a very favourite plant of Eastern coun- 
tries. Mr. Lane mentions that, in the esteem of the 
Arabs, it rivals the violet. Their tradition is that “ Adam 
fell down from paradise with three things: the myrtle, 
which is the chief of sweet-scented flowers in this world ; 
