174 
LANGUAGE AND 
Alas ! my bird, in sunshine drest, 
No more thou art wild and free; 
No more thou’lt find thy little nest 
In the dark green orange-tree. 
Within that bright and glowing isle, 
'Mid flowers thou’lt live no more,— 
And yet my bird, beneath my smile, 
Sings sweeter than before. 
My pretty bird, my golden bird, 
I once was wild and free: 
In song my voice was often heard, 
And sunshine dwelt with me, 
But now I’m caged, mj' pretty bird 
And now must rove no more, 
And yet my heart, my golden bird, 
Beats happier than before. 
Orange-blossom is generally deemed typical 
of chastity, because of its being customary for 
brides to wear a wreath of it on their wedding- 
day. Bridal bonnets frequently display an arti¬ 
ficial spray of these flowers. In his “Ode to 
Memory,” Tennyson alludes to the custom of 
using these blossoms at nuptials thus: 
“ Like a bride of old, 
In triumph led, 
With music and sweet showers, 
Of festal flowers, 
Unto the dwelling she m ist sway.” 
