Hyacinth. 
(GAME—PLAY.) 
T HE Oriental or garden Hyacinth is a native of the Levant. 
Culture has produced several large and splendid double 
varieties of these flowers; their elegantly shaped bell blossoms, 
towering one above another upon graceful stems, in almost 
unrivalled redolence and in nearly every hue of the rainbow, 
present a glorious spectacle. Sweet-voiced Shelley plaintively 
sings of “The hyacinth, purple, and white, and blue, 
Which flung from its bells a sweet peal anew 
Of music, so delicate, soft, and intense, 
It was felt like an odour within the sense.” 
According to the mythologists, this fairy-like fragile flower 
had its orgin in the death of Hyacinthus, a Laconian youth, 
greatly favoured by Apollo, and much admired for his beauty. 
He fell a victim to the jealous rage of Zephyrus, who, in re¬ 
venge for the preference manifested for him by the Sun-god, 
had determined to effect his destruction. Accordingly, one day 
when the ill-fated youth was playing at quoits with his divine 
friend, Zephyrus blew so powerfully upon the iron flung by 
Apollo that it struck the unfortunate Hyacinthus on the temple 
and killed him, to the intense grief of his innocent slayer. To 
commemorate the grace and beauty of the poor young prince, 
for such he was, Apollo, unable to restore him to life, caused 
the flower which now bears his name to spring from his blood. 
Thus it was that the hyacinth, so celebrated in the songs of 
the poets from the days of Homer downwards, became the 
floral hieroglyph of play , although one would certainly have 
thought that a more sober meaning could have been awarded 
to a bloom reputed to have had so melancholy an origin, and 
which still bears imprinted in indelible characters upon its 
bosom poor Hyacinthus’ last cry of “Ai! ai!” 
An annual solemnity, called Hyacinthia, was established in 
Laconia in honour of Hyacinthus. It lasted three days, during 
which the people, to show their grief for the loss of their darling 
