



a os Se : Z 

100 
FALSE RICHES. 
SUNFLOWER. 
Eagle of flowers! I see thee stand, 
And on the sun’s noon-glory gaze; 
With eye like his thy lips expand, 
And fringe their disk with golden rays. 
J. MONTGOMERY. 
Tne helianthus, or sun-flower, was originally 
brought from Peru, where its flowers were 
used by the ancient Peruvians, worshippers of 
the god of day. The virgins of the sun, who 
officiated in their feasts, wore an imitation of 
this flower wrought in gold; they had also one 
on their breasts, and carried others in their 
hands. The Spaniards were astonished at this 
display of gold, but were still more amazed 
when they saw the fields, in May, covered with 
these flowers, which were so closely imitated by 
the artificers of the new world, that the work- 
manship seemed more to be admired by these 
rapacious conqucrors, than the precious metal 
of which they were formed. 
In the days of his power and splendour, the 
throne of the great Mogul is reported to have 
been surmounted by a golden palm, with diamond 
fruits, and the walls of the saloon, where this 
monarch received the ambassadors, were covered 
with an enamelled golden vine, whose grapes 
