INTRODUCTION. 31 
instead of rendering their sentiments less appro- 
priate, has confirmed their fitness, and conti- 
nually added new charms to the language. 
Little study is necessary in the science here 
taught; nature has been before us. It will 
suffice that two or three rules be given, which 
the reader will do well first to learn, and then 
by reference to the work, which is systematically 
arranged for the purpose, he will be enabled to 
converse in the language of flowers. By the 
first rule, a flower presented inclining to the 
right, expresses a thought ; reversed, it is under- 
stood to convey the contrary of that sentiment. 
For example ;—A rose-bud, with its thorns and 
leaves, is understood to say, “I fear, but I 
hope.” The same rose-bud reversed, would 
signify that, “ You must neither fear nor hope.” 
You may convey your sentiments very well by 
a single flower. As the second rule, take the 
rose-bud which has already served us for an 
example, and strip it of its thorns, it tells you 
that “ There is every thing to hope.” Strip it 
of its leaves, it will express that ‘“ There is 
every thing to fear.” 
The expression of nearly all flowers may be 


