THE FLORAL TELEGRAPH. 115 
their component sounds, so words are 
but agitated air and resolve them¬ 
selves into nothing, so soon as they 
have performed their ephemeral duty. 
It was, therefore, before the time of 
Cadmus that we may date the Gol¬ 
den Age ; then, what was uttered in 
haste might be too far distant for 
“ Then, Slander was without 
wings, and crept like a Serpent on 
the ground or coiled herself up in 
her form—then, what was said might 
o 
be unsaid or explained away, as parts 
of speech now are in the House of 
Commons, through the intervention 
of the Speaker. Then, differences 
