Iv INTRODUCTION. 
In that time—that clime “where burning 
Sappho lived and sung” the praises of the Rose 
—the minstrel, the poet, the wrestler, and the 
patriot were all rewarded with wreathed florali- 
ties. Even Rome—ambitious Rome—held a flow¬ 
ery crown as fit guerdon for the weightiest ser¬ 
vices. “ Itwas with two or three hundred crowns 
of oak,” said Montesquieu, “ that R 6 me con¬ 
quered the world.” These same warlike Latins 
instituted a festival in honor of Flora as early 
as 736 years before the birth of Christ—in the 
reign of Romulus. 
The language of flowers was well understood 
and used from the earliest ages by many conti¬ 
nental nations. After the decay of Latin im¬ 
perialism, and until the dawn of the Iicnciis sauce , 
this delightful and attractive study was little 
known ; but in the age of chivalry and of the 
pre-eminence of the Romish faith it revived 5 
floral significations again held sway. The Ca¬ 
tholic was enabled to distinguish between fast¬ 
ing and feasting ceremonies by the variety of 
the bouquets that adorned the altar before which 
he offered up his orisons, and ofttimes the knight 
was enabled to manifest his devotion by wear¬ 
ing his lady’s colors in his casque, and the lady 
frequently showed in what light she regarded 
his attention by the nature of the blooms she 
wore. _ . .. 
Florigraphy is a science that requires but lit- 
