22 
LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS. 
The practice of conversing by gestures and 
signs was introduced by the Spaniards into Brus¬ 
sels, where the Duke of Orleans and the French 
npblemen of his suite availed themselves of this 
silent language to pay court to the ladies at 
their windows. 
The Italian and Sicilian females, who were not 
less closely guarded than the Spanish women, 
also practised a pantomimic language, and adopt¬ 
ed the use of flowers in love affairs. In Genoa, 
it was no unusual thing for a lady to throw a 
nosegay openly to her lover, and this token was 
received by the grateful favourite with a low bow. 
Plants may in many respects be regarded as 
beings closely allied to man, and they frequently 
exercise an important influence over us. The 
following remarks on this subject suggested 
themselves to Matthisson, the German poet, 
while journeying along tire Cosa to Domo d’Os- 
sola. “ The beautiful cyclamen, which blooms 
along both sides of the road, continually re¬ 
minded me of the delightful summer day which 
I spent in company with Salis and his wife, at 
a shepherd’s hut in the neighbourhood of Ma- 
lans, where for the first time I saw this flower 
