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Typical Bouquets. 
“The nightingale wanders from flower to flower. 
Seeking the rose, his heart’s only prize; 
Thus did my love change every hour, 
Until I saw thee, light of my eyes!” 
On the conclusion of this love ditty, the lattice of the win¬ 
dow was opened, and a small white hand dropped a bouquet 
of flowers, which was picked up and eagerly scrutinized by the 
serenader. Apparently satisfied by the message thus conveyed, 
he fastened it to his turban, signified his approval to the con¬ 
cealed donor, and withdrew. From his garb he appeared no¬ 
thing more than a poor water-carrier; but, says the Turkish 
proverb, “ however high a woman’s head may be, her feet touch 
the earth.” The hidden damsel was, it appears, actually the 
daughter of a wealthy Jew. 
There is an appropriate passage in the “ Bride of Abydos 
relating to a token-bouquet: 
“ She saw in curious order set, 
The fairest flowers of Eastern land : 
He loved them once—may touch them yet. 
If offered by Zuleika’s hand. 
The childish thought was hardly breathed 
Before the rose was plucked and wreathed 5 . 
The next fond moment saw her seat 
Her fairy form at Selim’s feet. 
* This rose, to calm my brother’s fears, 
A message from the bulbul * bears ; 
It says, to-night he will prolong, 
For Selim’s ear, his sweetest song; 
And though his note is somewhat sad. 
He’ll try, for once, a strain more glad. 
With some faint hope, his altered lay 
May sing these gloomy thoughts away .’ 77 
The delicate manner in which the French make use of this 
sweet mode of floral correspondence may be gathered from 
this “ Dialogue ” of Christine Pire : 
THE LOVER. 
“I give to thee the Autumn rose. 
Let it say how dear thou art; 
All my lips dare not disclose, 
Let it whisper to thy heart; 
How love draws my soul to thee, 
Without language thou may’st see. 
* # * * 
THE LADY. 
“I give to thee the aspen-leaf— 
’T is to show I tremble still 
When I muse on all the grief 
Love can cause, if false or ill; 
How, too, many have believed, 
Trusted long, and been deceived, 
* Nightingale. 
