PREFACE. 
All the books which have hitherto treated oil 
the Language of the Flowers are, with the ex¬ 
ception of a few slight alterations and additions, 
mere translations from the French work of Aime 
Martin; nor am I aware of any production in 
the English language on this subject which 
professes to he original, saving the present. If 
flowers, the most beautiful objects in nature, are 
to be converted into the messengers of friendship 
and love, and are capable of conveying beautiful 
and poetical meanings, it is surely worth while 
to trace a resemblance between the flower and 
the emblem it represents, which shall, at least, 
have some show of reason in it. This task I 
have attempted, taking for my guides no less 
authorities than Chaucer, Spenser, Shakspeare, and 
Milton; whatever meanings they have attributed 
to the flowers I have retained, and also endea¬ 
voured, like them, to find, in either the name 
or the nature of the flower, some resemblance to 
