The Rose. 
39 
thus affording an opportunity of creating the very pretty floral 
fancy typified in the crimson and white striped rose, that hence¬ 
forth was considered emblematical of the alliance. 
Not only has this beautiful flower been selected as the signal 
for contention and slaughter, but, strange to relate, has at times 
been even the means of almost—if not quite—killing some 
sensitive members of the genus homo. Many have heard of 
the singular horror with which the odour of certain flowers 
inspires some people; but few are aware that to “ die of a rose 
in aromatic pain ” is something more than a poetical fiction ; 
and yet many such things are on record. Amatus Lusitanus 
is cited by Dr. Millinger, amongst many other authorities, and 
he relates the case of a monk who fainted when he beheld a 
rose, and never quitted his cell while that flower was in bloom. 
Ofila gives the instance of the painter Vincent, who was seized 
with violent vertigo whenever there were roses in the room. 
Who would have thought that a flower—only a flower— 
could have wrought so much pleasure and pain in this mun¬ 
dane sphere? Truly “roses are linked by the chain of asso¬ 
ciation with a thousand chapters in the history of our race : 
they point to the Wars of the Roses; to Saadi and the Gulistan; 
to the Pope’s Golden Rose; to Rosamund, surnamed of rosa 
mundi; to the ‘bower of roses by Bendemeer’s stream;’ to 
the Rosicrucians, and everything else that is or was in the 
least degree roseate.” 
Few are those who will not be able to exclaim with Eliza 
Cook, when recalling to mind how many past events of their 
life have been associated with these universally admired blooms, 
‘ ‘ There is much in my past bearing waymarks of flowers. 
The purest and rarest in odour and bloom; 
There are beings and breathings and places and hours 
Still trailing in roses o’er Memory’s tomb.” 
But what are all our rosy customs and festivals compared 
with Oriental ones ? Already have several Persian legends 
connected with the rose been alluded to ; but it is impossible 
to exhaust the theme. “ Lalla Rookh ” is replete with roseate 
similes ; for, as Moore therein remarks, when speaking of the 
Feast of Roses, 
“ That joyous time, when pleasures pour 
Profusely round, and in their shower 
