14 
FLORAL POESY. 
The Red rose leaf is an admirable tonic ; the Lily leaf 
heals a cut. Chamomile is a tome. Cowslip affords a 
wme and a pudding, besides an infant’s ball; the Lesser 
Celandine is still used m medicine for the relief of a 
painful disease ; and who is ignorant of the blessed 
soothing powers of the Poppy and Henbane ? Greek 
mythology has left a floral record ; the Mistletoe, Ver¬ 
vain, and St. John's Wort recall Druidic rites of ancient 
Britain. 
Thus we may give with a bouquet memories of mytho¬ 
logy, history, usefulness, beauty, and fragrance ; and in 
modern times we have added to the ancient claims of 
flowers that of language—a gift bestowed on them by 
the East, and transplanted thence by one of the most 
gifted of Englishwomen, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu. 
In our Floral Gift we have endeavored to unite all 
this goodly heritage of flower-land. And Avith these 
few lines of introduction, we leave them to their worthy 
chroniclers—the Poets. 
