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FLORAL POESY, 
NARCISSUS. 
{Self-love.) 
f | THE white or poetical Narcissus is adopted as the 
emblem of egotism, because, according to the 
mythologists, it owes its origin to a beautiful youth of 
Bceotia, of whom it had been foretold that he should 
live happily until he beheld his own face. One day, 
when heated by the chase, Narcissus sought to quench 
his thirst in a stream ; in so doing he beheld the re¬ 
flection of his own features, of which he immediately 
became enamored. He was spellbound to the spot, 
where he pined to death, and was metamorphosed by 
the gods into the flower that now bears his name. 
When the Naiads had prepared the funeral pile for 
Narcissus, his body was missing : 
“ Instead whereof a yellow flower was found, 
With tufts of white about the button crowned ; ” 
and ever since is seen 
“ Narcissus fair, 
As o’er the fabled fountain hanging still.” 
The poetic Narcissus has a snow-white flower, with a 
yellow cup in the center, fringed on the border with a 
brilliant crimson circlet. It is sweet scented, and 
