the priests also appeared crowned with flowers.

Cato, in his treatise on gardens, directs that they should be planted and enriched with such flowers as are proper for chaplets and garlands.

The most celebrated Parisian milliner is not more eagerly sought after in modern times than the plaiter of garlands was in the days of antiquity, if we may judge from the account which Pliny has handed down to us. He tells us that the Sicyonians were considered to surpass all other people in the art of arranging the colours of their garlands, and giving them the most agreeable mixture of perfumes. These people, he informs us, derived their taste from Glycera, a woman of such great ingenuity in the art of composing garlands, as to win the affections of Pausias, the most eminent painter of his day, who took delight in copying the wreaths of flowers which his mistress had formed, whilst Glycera took equal pains to vary her garlands, so as to put the skill of her lover to the test. Pliny tells us that some of these paintings

were in existence in his time, particularly one of high estimation, which was a picture known by the name of Stephanoplocos, wherein the artist had painted the fair Glycéra braiding chaplets. This picture must then have been about 460 years old, from which we may infer that the art of painting was in considerable advancement as long back as 2300 years.

The same author tells us that Mnestheus and Callimachus, two renowned Greek physicians, compiled several books on the virtues of chaplets, enumerating such as were hurtful to the brain, and others that refreshed the spirits.

We also learn from an anecdote related by Pliny, that it was a frequent custom among the ancients to mix the flowers of their chaplets in their wine, when they pledged the health of their friends.

Notwithstanding the great pains which Cleopatra took to please and amuse Antony, it was a considerable time before she could gain his entire confidence, as it appears he would never eat or drink at her table without

causing his taster first to partake of every viand, in order to discover if treachery lurked disguised in the midst of the luxuries of this subtle Queen. The jealousy of the Roman General seems to have increased about the time he was preparing his expedition against Augustus, when the artful beauty who had so captivated the warrior, took the following device to satisfy him of her true attachment, and at the same time to ridicule his mistrust and timid fears. The Queen had a chaplet of flowers prepared for Antony, the edges of which were dipped in the most deadly poison, whilst that which was formed for her own head, was as usual mixed with aromatic spices. At the banquet the General received his coronet of flowers, and when they had become cheerful through the aid of Bacchus, Cleopatra pledged him in wine, and taking off the garland of flowers from her head, and rubbing them into her goblet, drank off the contents. Antony was following her example, but just as he had got the fatal cup to his lip, the Queen seized his arm, exclaiming, "Cure your jealous fears, and learn that I

have not to seek the means of your destruction, could I live without you;" on which she ordered a prisoner to be brought before them, who, on drinking the wine from the General's goblet, instantly expired in their presence.

The fondness which the ancients evinced for flowers was carried to such an excess as to become almost a vice. When Antony supped with the far-famed Queen of Egypt, the floors of the apartments were generally covered with fragrant flowers; and when Nero sat at banquet in his golden house, a shower of flowers and odorous essences fell upon him but Heliogabalus turned these vegetable beauties into curses, for it was one of the pleasures of this monster to smother his courtiers with flowers.

The Italians, who still retain some of the customs of the Romans, have artificers called Festaroli, whose office it is to make garlands or festoons of flowers, and other decorations for feasts. The Catholic church still continues the use of flowers in its religious ceremonies, as was particularly observed in

Rome on the 17th of January, 1798, when the Pope appointed a solemn procession of the three most celebrated relics in Rome, to appease the French government for an assault committed on their ambassador. These relics consisted of "the portrait of the most Holy Saviour, the miraculous picture of the Santa Maria in Portico, and the sacred chains wherewith the Prince of the Apostles was fettered." Previous to the procession, the streets were strewed with myrtles, and such flowers as could be obtained at that season of the year.

The Chinese hold some particular kinds of flowers in great veneration, especially the Eukianthus, which they call Too Chong Fa: its flowers are deemed grateful to the gods; and, accordingly, at the commencement of the Chinese new year, when the plant is generally in blossom, large branches with flowers are placed in all the temples as an acceptable new year's offering.

We find that the admiration of these vegetable beauties was not confined to the inhabitants of the old world alone, for the Mexicans,