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Poppy.... Consolation. 
The Red Poppy is the floral symbol of consolation. 
The White Poppy is supposed to express, “My bane, 
my antidote.” The juice extracted from these plants 
is employed to soothe the restless invalid to sleep, and 
to ease the pangs of disease* According to the mytho¬ 
logy of the Grecians, the Poppy owed its origin to 
Ceres, who created it to assuage her. grief, during her 
search after her daughter Proserpine, who was carried 
off by Pluto. The Poppy is extensively cultivated in 
Europe, for the purpose of making opium from it. 
Many species are cultivated in the garden. The double 
flowers possess surpassing beauty, whether we consider 
their delicate texture, elegance of shape, or variety of 
colouring. In the time of Gesner, the celebrated bo¬ 
tanist of Switzerland, the village Damons and Chloes 
proved the sincerity of their lovers by placing in the 
hollow of the palm of the left-hand, a petal, or flower- 
leaf of the Poppy, which, on being struck' by the other 
hand, was broken with a sharp sound, which denoted 
true attachment; but faithlessness, when it failed tc 
*snap. 
The world has closed its eyes and fallen asleep; 
And God looks down from His eternal throne 
And shuts the eye that long was wont to weep, 
And makes the wretched feel they’re not alpne. 
MacKellar 
