The language of flowers : $b The floral offering ; a token of affection and esteem ; comprising the language and poetry of flowersDumont, Henrietta
General
The language of flowers : $b The floral offering ; a token of affection and esteem ; comprising the language and poetry of flowers
Dumont, Henrietta
Flower language; Flowers in literature
As picture after picture rose before her of what had been, and
every close pressure of the cold, inanimate, but still dearly-loved
form, told her what the hand of death had done, and that those
very “hopes and fears which are akin to love” were now for ever
darkened and extinguished; she burst forth into such a loud,
wailing lamentation, that the sound found its way unto Olympus, and
fell upon the ever-open ear of Jove, who, in a moment, dashed the
golden nectar-cup upon the ground, which he was about uplifting to
his lips, and sprang upon his feet. There was a sound of hurrying
to and fro over the mountain-summits, which sloped down to the edge
of the forest--of gods and goddesses passing through the air--of
golden chariots, that went whistling along like the wind, as they
cleft their rapid way--and the flapping of dark, immortal wings,
between which many a beautiful divinity was seated. The golden
clouds of sunset gathered red and ominously about the rounded
summit of Olympus, and a blood-red light glared upon such parts of
the forest as were not darkened by the deepening shadows of the
approaching twilight,--for the Thunderer had stamped his immortal
foot, and jarred the mighty mountain to its very base. And now, in
that forest glade, which but a few moments before was so wild and
desolate,--where only the forms of the grisly boar, the dead
Adonis, and the weeping Goddess of Beauty broke the level lines of
the angry sunset, were assembled the stern Gods, and the weeping
Graces, and the fluttering Loves that ever hover around the chariot
of Venus. With bleeding feet and drooping head,--wan, and cold, and
speechless,--was the Goddess of Beauty lifted into her golden
chariot, and, with the dead body of Adonis, wafted by her silver
and silent-winged doves to Mount Olympus. And then a deep darkness
settled down upon the forest. When the next morning’s sun arose
and gilded those silent glades, the Roses, on which the blood of
the Goddess of Beauty had fallen, and which were ever before white,
were changed into a delicate crimson; and wherever a tear had
fallen, there had sprung up a flower which the earth had never
before borne, and that was the Lily of the Valley; and wherever a
ruddy drop had fallen from the death-wound of Adonis sprang up the
red flower which still beareth his name. Even the white
apple-blossoms, which he clutched in his agony, ever after wore the
ruddy stain which they caught from his folded fingers; and the
drowsy Poppy grew up everywhere around the spot, as if to denote
that the only consolation which can be found for sorrow is the
long, unbroken sleep of death. Thus the Rose, which was before
white, became red, and was ever after dedicated to Beauty and Love.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account