1878.] 
THE PHILOSOPHY OF FLORISTS FLOWERS—V. 
115 
that communicated to the hand by its passing 
over a rough, uneven surface. This is exem¬ 
plified in many flowers, even in the Lily, and 
still more in the ragged edge of some Pinks 
and Carnations ; because in them the defect 
is in such close juxtaposition with the means 
of its cure—a curve in the outline of the 
petal; and this curve already exists at the base 
of the serrated point. It always gives an idea 
of harshness. 
“ It is not, however, always that these de¬ 
fects can be expected, or wished, to be removed 
by cultivation. In the Gladiolus , Iris, Ixia, 
and others, they are of the essence of the 
form, and the flower would quite alter its 
character were they removed. The alteration, 
if effected, would very possibly be no improve¬ 
ment, and at least it would be a complete 
transformation of the original. When this is 
the case, the flower must be content to take a 
lower rank with such as are incapable of the 
highest assemblage of excellences, but will not 
be the less esteemed for the qualities it does 
possess. Nor is it desirable that all should be 
of one class. 
“ Moreover, in some of this class the primary 
outline which gives the leading impression of 
the flower lies within the irregular parts, as in 
the Tigridia , the slightly concave disc of which 
is sufficiently distinct, and the protruding flaps 
of the alternate longer petals overhang its 
edge, and sometimes fall down from it, like the 
lappets of a lady’s head-dress of the reign of 
Queen Anne. Owing to this, the flimsy sub¬ 
stance of the outer portion of the longer petals 
is no fault. 
“ Nor is unity altogether lost in any of 
these flowers, except in such as contain a 
primary division of the corolla into two or 
more like and equal parts, as the Iris does, and 
many smaller flowers, as the Veronica in¬ 
stanced above, in which the parts are circular, 
and therefore complete in themselves. This 
quality, therefore, is most essential to the flower 
as a whole, and should accordingly be always 
more or less found under the general outline. 
“ Next let us consider the effect of Variety. 
This is even more essential to a pleasing form 
than unity is. It is, as it were, the substance, 
while unity is the form in which that sub¬ 
stance should be presented; for without it, 
the ideas suggested can be at best but scanty; 
and it is by a succession of ideas that pleasur¬ 
able emotions are excited ; while at the same 
time variety, though ever so charming, if not 
included in one leading impression, will be de¬ 
sultory and unconnected,—there will be a break 
in the current of thought, and the result will 
be harsh and disagreeable. 
“ It may consist in forms, or numbers, or 
colours, or in any combinations of these. We 
have here principally to deal with the first, 
with some remarks on the second. 
“ In the general or primary outline, variety 
arising from form can only be considered an 
element of beauty when it is easy and flowing. 
To explain which, it is necessary first to make 
clear the difference in the effects of straight 
lines and curves, for outlines can only be 
formed by straight lines and curves, and the 
characteristic effects of these are diametri¬ 
cally opposite to each other. 
“ A straight line is one the direction of 
which is always the same, whence its effect is 
to accumulate force upon a point. And the 
impression produced by it will be asperity, 
brilliance, and power. A straight line by itself 
gives no idea but that of simple progression, 
as in the stem or bole of a plant, and in the 
subjects of the present inquiry can never be of 
a length sufficient to require further notice. 
But there are two positions, in combination, in 
which it has considerable power over the ap¬ 
pearance of flowers, illustrating what has been 
said of its impression, namely, when grouped 
in clusters radiating from a centre in the form 
which painters call ‘ a glory and contrariwise, 
when two or more of them terminate in a point 
or angle outwards. Both these forms are often 
very effective in a subordinate- outline, though 
either, if prominent, would be a marked defect 
in the principal one. 
“ Lines radiating from a centre are found in 
many markings of flowers, as in the eye of a 
Pansy, the colour of an Auricula (in which 
they resemble the streamings in the arch of an 
aurora borealis), and the pencillings of the 
black petals of a Pelargonium. Nor is it of 
much consequence whether those lines, if they 
are mere lines, are strictly straight, or, as is 
more common, wavy and involved; they are 
more forcible if straight, and more feeble if 
curved, but are for the most part subject to 
the same remarks. In all cases, the ideas sug¬ 
gested by this form must be completely 
subordinated to that of some other in which it 
is included, or it will give an idea of coarse¬ 
ness, as in a veiny Pelargonium , or of harshness, 
as in a very narrow-striped Carnation. 
“ Straight lines running outwards to a 
centre, that is, meeting in an angular point, 
are not infrequent in the principal outline of 
many natural flowers, as in the pointed petal 
of the Auricula or Dahlia. In such cases it is 
invariably a fault, although in flowers destitute 
of high properties, as the Cineraria , the defect 
is lessened in the same ratio with the im¬ 
portance of the single bloom. 
“ Sometimes a floral disc is made up of 
florets, as in the natural single Chrysanthemum 
and Cineraria; in which case, the outline 
being formed of the ends of the florets or 
petals, if any character is expected to be 
attained in the individual blossoms, the angular 
points must be got rid of as soon as possible. 
In the present state of the latter flower, the 
I 2 
