DICTIONARY. 
273 
Iris Germanica, is a plant which the peasants of 
Germany are fond of cultivating on the roofs of 
their cottages. When the wind waves its beauti¬ 
ful flowers, and the sun gilds their petals, tinged 
with gold, purple, and azure, it looks as if light 
flames were playing on the top of those rustic 
dwellings. 
Flattery, Venus’s Looking-glass. As soon as the 
sun sheds his golden rays upon our corn-fields, we 
see the bright purple flowers of a pretty variety 
of campanula scattered over them; but, should 
clouds intercept his beams, the corollas of 
these flowers immediately close, as at the ap¬ 
proach of night. It is related that Venus one day 
dropped one of her mirrors. A shepherd picked 
it up ; but, no sooner had he cast his eyes on this 
glass, which possessed the property of embellish¬ 
ing whatever it reflected, than he forgot his mis¬ 
tress, and did nothing but admire himself. Love, 
fearful of the consequences of such a silly error, 
broke the mirror, and changed its fragments into 
this pretty plant, which has ever since retained 
the name of Venus’s Looking-glass. 
Folly, Columbine. This graceful flower has been 
