FLORAL EMBLEMS. 
175 
The Indians have a proverb, which says, 
the dart of contempt will even pierce through 
the shell of a tortoise. 
This plant is dedicated to St. Faine. 
IDLENESS. 
Mesembryanthemum, or Fig-marigold. 
Mesembryanthemum. 
“ Sluggish idleness, the nurse of sin. 
Upon a slothful ass he chose to ride.” 
Fairy Queen. 
This numerous genus of succulent plants, 
were formerly named mesembrianthemum, 
and noon-flower, because most of the species 
do not expand their guy petals before mid¬ 
day, and seldom even at that late hour, un¬ 
less the sun awakes them by his powerful 
rays: yet it is amongst the earliest flowers 
that take repose, as the petals are generally 
closed before the god of day has left the hori¬ 
zon ; and we therefore bestow it on the slug¬ 
gard, for his armorial bearings. 
