134 
THE POETRY OF FLOWERS 
head appears to be bowed down by the weight of a garland of 
mary golds. 
The marygold continues in flower the whole of the year, 
hence its scientific name calendula. Its flowers open at nine 
o’clock in the morning, and close again at three o’clock in the 
afternoon. Like the heliotrope, it always turns toward the 
sun, following his course from east to west. 
During the months of July and August, the marygold emits 
small luminous sparks during the night. This quality it pos¬ 
sesses in common with the nasturtium and many other flowers 
of the same colour. 
The mournful signification of the marygold can be modified 
in various ways. United with roses it is the emblem of the 
sweeter pains of love; alone, it expresses inquietude, or ennui. 
Woven with other flowers, it represents the inconstant chain 
of life, ever good and evil interwoven. In the East, a bouquet 
of marygold and poppies expresses this thought: “ I will allay 
your pains.” 
Margaret of Orleans, maternal ancestor of Henry IV., had 
for her device a marygold turning toward the sun, with these 
words: “ Je ne veux suivreque lui seuld' That virtuous prin¬ 
cess wished to express by this device that all her thoughts 
and all her affections turned toward Heaven, as the marygold 
does to the sun. 
Though born in the desert, and doomed by my birth, 
To pain and affliction—to darkness and dearth — 
On thee let my spirit rely — 
Like some rude dial, that, fixed on earth, 
Still looks for its light from the sky! 
Moore. 
