24 LANGUAGE AND 
The flowers, gathered when full grown, and 
dried in the shade, will preserve their beauty 
for years, particularly if they are not exposed 
to the sun. 
Homer describes the Thessalians as wearing 
crowns of these funereal flowers at the entomb¬ 
ment of Achilles; and Spenser and Milton both 
class the amaranth as amongst “ those flowers 
that sad embroidery wear,” the brilliancy of its 
glowing colors notwithstanding. The most ad¬ 
mired species of this plant is a native of the 
West Indies, and is called the ‘“tricolor,” on 
account of its variegated hues of crimson, green, 
and gold. 
One of the most popular species of the ama¬ 
ranth is the “Love-lies-bleeding.” The origin 
of this singular appellation is not known, but it 
has been suggested that the following verses of 
Moore’s account for it. The daughter of O’Con¬ 
nor is lamenting over the tomb of Connocht 
Moran : 
“A hero’s bride! this desert bower, 
It ill befits thy gentle breeding : 
And wherefore dost thou love this flower, 
To call ‘ my-love-lies-bleeding’ ? 
“ This purple flower my tears have nursed ; 
A hero’s blood supplied its bloom : 
I love it, for it was the first 
That grew on Connocht Moran’s tomb.” 
