196 
LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS. 
false wealth, because gold, however abundant, 
cannot of itself render a person truly rich. It 
is related that Pythes, a rich Lydian, the owner 
of several gold-mines, neglected the cultivation 
of his lands, which naturally became so unpro¬ 
ductive as not to afford the necessaries of life. 
His wife, who proved herself possessed of as 
much good sense as wit, at a supper which 
Pythes had ordered her to prepare, caused all 
the dishes to be filled with representations of the 
different viands in gold. On the removal of the 
covers, she said to the guests : “ I set before you 
such fare as we have ; for we cannot reap what 
we do not sow.” This lesson made a due im¬ 
pression on the mind of Pythes, who acknow. 
ledged that Providence distributes its gifts like 
an affectionate mother, who has a love for all her 
offspring, however numerous. 
The French call this flower Tournesol as well 
as Soldi , from a vulgar error that the blossoms 
turn to the sun. The fact is, that the flowers 
branch out on all sides of the plant, and those 
which face the east at the opening of day never 
turn to the west at the close of it. Many of 
our poets, however, have adopted the popular 
