PREFACE. 
Attached to tlie Language of Flora is a selection of 
Poetry on Flowers, whicli, it is hoped, will give addi¬ 
tional interest to this little volume, and make it an 
appropriate token of affection. 
Poetry is so closely connected with flowers that we 
scarcely ever And a poet who does not call in those 
sweetest smiles of nature—the beautiful children of 
the wilds, -to decorate his verse.—What a loss would 
the poet sustain were he to he deprived of the beauti¬ 
ful gems that dwell beside his paths, and look up to 
him from their lowly beds. Where would he fly for 
images of beauty—of purity—of peace—of truth—of 
love—were he to be debarred from flowers. 
As the bouquet of Summer is not composed of one 
class of plants, but by the blending of colour’s and 
combination of the fragrance of many, so has it been 
thought desirable that the selection of poetry should 
consist of pieces that most excel in tenderness and 
pathos, and that are suitable for the perusal of the 
grave as well as the gay. 
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