152 LANGUAGE AND 
MAGNOLIA. 
Magnolia, glauca . . . Class 13; 0/ clo 13 
MAGNIFICENCE.—LOVE OF NATURE. 
This superb emblem of magnificence was 
named Magnolia by Phimier, in honor of Pierre 
Magnol, a well-known writer on botanical sub¬ 
jects. It is a native of the Southern States. It 
begins to blossom in May, and continues a long 
time in flower, perfuming the woods during the 
whole of the summer months. Kalen says that 
he seldom found the magnolia north of Pennsyl¬ 
vania. “They may be discovered,” he adds, 
“ by the scent of the blossoms at the distance 
of three quarters of a mile if the wind be favor¬ 
able. It is beyond description pleasant to travel 
in the woods at that season, especially in the 
evening. They retain their flowers three weeks. 
Their berries, also, look very handsome when 
they are ripe, being of a rich red color, and 
hanging in bunches on slender threads.” 
Chateaubriand, in his romance of “ Atala,” 
referring to an Indian superstition which sup¬ 
poses that the souls of departed infants enter 
into flowers, says: “I gathered a magnolia- 
blossom, and placed it, yet moist with dew, upon 
the head of Atala, who still slept. I hoped 
that, according to my religion, the soul of some 
new-born infant would descend on the crystal 
dew of this flower, and that a prosperous dream 
would convey it to the bosom of mv beloved,” 
