His voice is in the tempest's wrath, For us, frail, feeble things of clay, Rocks, hills, and flowers, their homage pav, No-from the green enamell'd sod The living temple of our God, Arch'd by his own blue skies. There, let thy grateful praise be heard, And sooner reach the eternal bowers Breathed over beds of blushing flowers. FLORA'S LEXICON. CACIA. Robinia Pseudacacia. Class 17, DIADELPHIA. Order: DECANDRIA. The savages of North America have consecrated the Acacia to the genius of chaste love; their bows are made from the incorruptible wood of this tree, their arrows are armed with one of its thorns. These fierce children of the forest, whom nothing can subdue, conceive a sentiment of delicacy; perhaps what they are unable to express by words, but they understand the sentiment by the expression of a branch of blooming Acacia. The young savage, like the city coquette, understands this seducing language perfectly. The Acacia is a native of North America, and received its name from the botanist, Robin. 2 PLATONIC LOVE. Our rocks are rough, but smiling there Then come-thy Arab maid will be MOORE. (13) CACIA ROSE. Robinia Hispida. Class 17, DIADELPHIA. Order: DECANDRIA. Art has produced nothing that may vie in freshness and in elegance of appearance with this beautiful flowering shrub; its inclining branches, the gaiety of its verdure,—its clusters of rose-coloured flowers, like bows branches clothed with hairs of a reddish brown, never fail to excite admiration, and have combined to render it a proper emblem of elegance. Its appearance has been compared to that of an elegant female in her ball dress. of ribands, hung on ELEGANCE. The fairness of her face no tongue can tell, SPENSER, There's no miniature In her face, but is a copious theme, Which would, discours'd at large of, make a volume. Who shall most set them off. What ruby lips;- But to a rock of crystal? Every limb MASSINGER. DONIS. Flos Adonis. Class 13, POLYANDRIA. Order: POLYGYNIA. Adonis was killed, while hunting, by a boar. Venus, who, for his sake, had relinquished the joys of Cythera, shed tears for the fate of her favourite. They were not lost; the earth received them, and immediately produced a covered with flowers resembling drops of blood. Bright and transient flowers, too faithful emblems of the pleasures of life, ye were consecrated by Beauty herself to painful recollections! PAINFUL RECOLLECTIONS. Full twenty years have pass'd away, since thou, beloved one! With darkening eye to heaven upraised, the last time bless'd thy son; And meekly closing thy thin hands, with mine between them press'd, Fled, with my name upon thy lips, to thine eternal rest. My first, my last, my only friend !—if aught the ransom'd know But no; thou art beatified!-on yonder radiant shore, So would I have thee see thy son, the wreck'd of passion's storm, LMOND. Amygdalus. Class 12, Ir OSANDRIA. Order: MONOGYNIA. Fable confers an affecting origin on this tree. It relates that Demophoon, son of Theseus and Phadra, in returning from the siege of Troy, was thrown by a storm on the shores of Thrace, where then reigned the beautiful Phyllis. The young queen graciously received the prince, fell in love with him, and became his wife. When recalled to Athens by his father's death, Demophoon promised to return in a month, and fixed the day. The affectionate Phyllis counted the hours of his absence, and at last the appointed day arrived. Nine times she repaired to the shore; but, losing all hope of his return, she dropped down dead with grief, and was turned into an Almondtree. Three months afterwards, Demophoon returned. Overwhelmed with sorrow, he offered a sacrifice at the sea-side, to appease the manes of his bride. She seemed to sympathize with his repentance: for the Almond-tree, into which she had been transformed, instantly put forth its flowers, and proved by this last effort that true love, "strong as death," is incapable of change. INDISCRETION. Like to an almond-tree, mounted high With blossoms brave bedecked daintily; Whose tender locks do tremble every one, At every little breath that under heav'n is blown. SPENSER. According to Moore, the Almond blossom is the emblem of hope The hope, in dreams of a happier hour, Springs out of the silvery almond-flower, That blooms on a leafless bough. In ancient times, the abundance of blossom on this tree was considered as the promise of a fruitful season. |