68 
LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS. 
the white blossoms of the black-thorn,—they "have 
ever seemed to us as the sweetest and fairest 
daughters of Spring—the little fairies of the wood, 
just wakening from their winter sleep,— 
“ Shading, like detected light. 
Their little green-tipt lamps of white.” 
The drowsy Poppy has been selected, in floral 
language, as the emblem of Consolation : and, from 
its dreamy, narcotic qualities, is well chosen. Many 
of the double Poppies which are cultivated in gardens 
have a very elegant appearance. It also forms a 
very beautiful ornament about the borders of our 
corn-fields, being pleasanter to the sight than to 
the smell; for the fragrance is very unwholesome, 
and on this account it is called by the country 
people the Headache. It is also named the Red¬ 
cap, and Corn-rose, in different parts of England. 
In the heathen fables the Poppy is first said to 
have been raised by the goddess Ceres, to console 
her for the loss of her daughter Proserpine, who, 
while gathering flowers in the fields of Enna, was 
carried off by Pluto; and ever since then the God¬ 
dess of the Harvest has cultivated it amidst the 
golden wheat. In some parts the country maidens 
have still a belief that they can test the affections 
of their lovers by the secret power which the Poppy 
possesses; that if one of the petals is placed upon 
the palm of the hand, and when struck smartly 
