


12 THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS. 
wonderful emblem of him who rose from 
the valleys of Corsica to the throne of the 
golden lilies, and whose name has been a 
spell of power long after he ceased to breathe 
the air of earth. 
It remained for the Hast to give us a 
language of perfume and beauty by be- 
stowing a meaning on buds and blossoms; 
though the Turkish and Arabic flower- 
language does not much resemble ours. It 
is formed, not by an idea or sentiment 
originating in the flower itself, but by its 
capacity for rhyming with another word, 
i.e., the word with which the flower rhymes 
becomes its signification. 
La Mottraie, the companion of Charles 
XII., brought the Eastern language of 
flowers to Europe; but it was the gifted 
Lady Mary Wortley Montague who first 
told our countrywomen how the fair 
maidens of the East had lent a mute speech 
to flowers, and could send a letter by a 
bouquet. Here is part of a Turkish love- 
letter sent by her in a purse to a friend. 
She says, speaking of it: “There is no 
colour, no flower, no weed, no fruit, herb, 
pebble, or feather, that has not a verse 
























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