AND FLOWERS OF POETRY. 161 
MOURNING. 
CYPRESS . 
The mournful cypress rises round, 
Tapering from the burial-ground. 
Lucan. 
The cypress is the universal emblem of mourning, and is the 
funeral tree in the Eastern world, from the Persian gulf to the 
Caspian sea; it is also dedicated to the dead, from Mazanderan 
to Constantinople, as well as to the utmost bounds of China’s 
fruitful shores. 
Ovid gives us a traditionary account of the mournful origin 
of the cypress-tree, and we always find it devoted to mournful 
thoughts, or sad solemnities. Cyparissus, son of Telephus of 
Cea, was beloved by Apollo. Having killed the favourite stag 
of his friend, he grieved,, pined, and, dying, was changed by 
Apollo into a cypress-tree. Calmet describes it to be a tall, 
straight tree, having bitter leaves. The shade and smell were 
said to be dangerous; hence the Romans looked on it as a fatal 
tree, and made use of it at funerals. It is an evergreen; the 
wood is heavy, of rather a fragrant smell — is not liable to be 
attacked by insects, and does not speedily decay. Shakspeare 
says that cypress is the emblem of mourning; and we are told 
by Irving that, in Latium, on the decease of any person, a 
branch of cypress was placed before the door. It is strictly 
the “sorrowing tree:” nor do we ask with Prior, 
Why does the cypress flourish in the shade ? 
For there is scarcely any poet who does not write of it in 
mournful sadness. Spenser records it as “ the cypress funeral 
and Miss Landon observes, 
A funeral train 
Will in a cj r press-grove be found. 
o 2 
