Hyacinth. 
127 
prince, ate no bread, but fed upon sweetmeats, and abstained 
from adorning their hair with garlands as on ordinary occasions. 
On the second day a band of youths entertained the spec¬ 
tators by playing upon the harp, upon the flute, and chanting 
grand choruses in honour of Apollo. Numbers came mounted 
upon horses richly caparisoned, singing rustic songs, and ac¬ 
companied by a throng, who danced to vocal and instrumental 
music; maidens, selected for their beauty, splendidly attired, 
appeared in covered carriages, most magnificently adorned, 
singing hymns ; whilst the others were engaged in chariot 
races. An immense number of victims were offered on the 
altars of Apollo ; and their slaves, as well as their friends, were 
entertained with the utmost liberality by the votaries. 
This flower is justly the pride of the Dutch florists, who gain 
immense annual profits from its culture, although during the 
last few years it has somewhat lost ground in public favour, by 
reason of the many tropical plants that have been introduced 
into our flora domestica. The credit of having reared the first 
double hyacinth is given to Peter Voerhelm, a celebrated florist 
of Haarlem. It is stated that he was accustomed to throw 
away as imperfect all the double blossoms, until a fit of illness 
prevented him from visiting his bulbs for some days ; on re¬ 
newing his floral duties, a double flower that had escaped 
destruction attracted his attention. He determined to culti¬ 
vate it; and well it repaid him his care. Florists and customers 
came, saw, and purchased; but, by some strange vicissitude, this 
first double hacyinth, named “ Mary,” and the two next varie¬ 
ties that were produced, have been lost. For one bulb which 
he had raised he is said to have obtained ;£ioo. This flower, 
which he christened “ The King of Great Britain,” is now con¬ 
sidered the originator of the oldest double variety in existence. 
The common or, as old botanists style it, the English hya¬ 
cinth, is frequently termed the Harebell by poetical writers. 
Browne, author of “ Britannia’s Pastorals,” in his list of “ Floral 
Emblems,” observes that 
“The harebell, for her stainless azured hue, 
Claims to be worn of none but those are true.” 
The harebell is sometimes white or flesh-coloured, but much 
more commonly blue or violet-hued. 
Under its general appellation of the hyacinth, this flower has 
