Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-09-10
"UNDER THE ROSE - WHAT IT
MEANS

This provcrbia expression, like most 9TH
ers that have been long in use. cannot be
traced with absolute certainty to its origin,
but can only be made the subject of conjoc-
lures more or less probable. Some Of these
conjectures are as follows:
l. 1t was customary for the Popcs to con-
secratc roses. and use them as presents, un-
expensive to the giver but Of great price in
the eyes of the credulous receiver From this
originated the practice of placing roses over
The door of confessionals, and as the most
profound secrecy was there observed, the rose
soon became an emblem of secrecy.
?. The expression took its origin from the
adoption Of rcd and white roses as the respoc-
tive cmblems Of the houses Of York and Lam
caster, during the bloody wars with which
they desolated England The opposite en-
blems were the signs Of the taverns near the
Parliament House in Westminster, where
were the head quarters Of the two factions ;
and as measures Of annoyance or Of defence
were adopted in secret concave at one or the
other of these taverns, everything secret was
said to be done "under the rose
g. 1t is certain, however, that the rose was
the emblem of secrecy long before confession
ais were established or Workers and Lancas-
/ tcrians plotted against each other HarpO-
crates, the Roman God of Silence was repre-
sented as a young man, with one finger placed
on his lips aud rose in the other hand. 1t
was said that Cupid gave him the rose to
bribe him from betraying the amours of We
nus. The ancionts. therefore, sculpt ured q
rose over the doors or on the ceilings of theil
festive halls. as a hint to the guests that moth
| ing which was said in moments of conviviali-
ty was to be repeated elsewhere. Some in
stances Of the same paactico are TO be found
in modern buildings. 1t was in the pavilion
[ of an Amsterdam burgomaster's country seat,
and beneath stucco rose which ornamcntcd
the ceiling, that William Ill communicated
to his host and another burgomastcr his in
tended invasion Of England In the dining
room of the Bear Club in birmingham, Eng
land, there was once a carved rose in the cen
tre of the ceiling. under which it is said tha
the Jacobitc members Of the Club, in its ear
lier days. used 10 drink as their first toast
The health Of the King (undor the rose),
meaning the Prctondor. In the hall Of Lul
liugton Castle in Kent, was to be seen, few
years ago, and perhaps still is, a carving Of q
rose surrounded by an inscription as follows
"Kcntish true blue
Take this a token,
That what Is said here
Under the rose is spoken
In the absence Of satisfactory evidence o
any other origin, it may be regarded as toler
ably certain that the phrase had the mytho
logical origin last named 1t is the iohit
rose to which alusion is made. The ros,
which Ilarpocrates held in his hand wa'
white, and it is the white rose that Byron, il
"'rhc Bride Of Abydos," rendered sacred tc
the silence of the tomb He says that owe
the tomb of Zuleika
"a single rose is shedding
Its lovely lustrc meek and pale
II looks a. planted hy despair
So white, faint, the slightest gale
Might whirl the leaves on high"
-New York OJserrer.