iff 
Sr , 
8 THE LANGUAGE AND 
perhaps the coldness of the season has 
tended somewhat towards its desuetude. 
But we must now turn more immedi¬ 
ately to notice flowers in connection with 
language, and we shall find that nearly 
all nations are acquainted with the lan¬ 
guage or sentiment of flowers. The cus¬ 
tom of using flowers as a means of con¬ 
veying thoughts and sentiments is of 
Eastern origin, and of very remote anti¬ 
quity ; we find them as images of some po¬ 
etical idea, or as representing a virtuous 
or vicious quality, frequently introduced 
in oriental writings, both sacred and pro¬ 
fane. Some, consecrated to tender and 
affectionate remembrances, serve to feed 
the melancholy mind ; while others, more 
numerous than the latter, awaken ideas of 
glory and happiness, or form a secret and 
mysterious language for the use of friends 
M 
*' 
