The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-01-16
The Classic Myrtle.
From Once a Week.

| From Once Week.
All oriental nations have an intense ad-
miration for this Towering shrub, and it III
walls the violet and rose in their esteem.
There is a tradition that Adam, when ex-
PEELED from Paradise, selected of all the
flowers the sweet-scented myrtle to remind
him of past joys in that abode of bliss
Milton tells us that it formed canopy over
the couch of our first parents. The Greeks
worshiped Venus under the name OF Myr-
tilla, this flower being the emblem of love;
and it is said that when Venus arose from
the foam of the sea, the 'houris" crowned
her with chaplet of myrtle. 1t is also
related that the judgement of the famous
shepherd on Mount Ida was not a little in
fluenced in favor of the beautiful goddess
by the exquisite perfume emanating from
the myrtle wreath that she wore at the
time when Paris awarded her the coveted
apple. The word itself, in Greek, means
perfume, and the Greecian ladies to this day
are said to show preference for the essen
tial oil of myrtle over all other scents. They
obtain an extract from its leaves with which
they perfume their baths and claim that by
its use they obtain a whiteness of skin rival
ing that produced by the celebrated milk
baths of Cleopatra. The Roman ladies, on
the first of April were accustomed to bathe
beneath the shade of the myrtle trees that
lined the shore, and after decorating them
selves with its glossy leaves, proceeded to
the shrine of the goddess to offer sacrifice.
The Romans also associated this plant with
festivity, and stepped it in their wine, be-
lieving that it not only improved its favor
but heightened its convivial effects. The
berries were distilled, and the extract was
taken very much as orange water is nOwa-
days, to dispel melancholy, or what was
known in later times as a eft of the blues.
The magistrates and high dignataries in
Athens wore chaplets of myrtle as insignia
of authority, and even warriors often en-
livened their laurel wreaths with sprigs of
myrtle in honor of Venus and Mars. With
the Jews the myrtle has ever been held in
the highest estimation, and with them was
emblematical of peace. We have constant
illusions in the Bible to the myrtle as
bearing this signifcatior; as, for example,
Zechariah in his vision sees the angel who
foretold the restoration of Israel standing
in in the midst of myrtles, and Isaiah fore
telling the blessings of peace attendant on
the coming of the Messiah, says ''Instead
of the thorn shall come up the fir tree and
instead of the briar shall come up the myr-
tie" The Jews to this day use the myr-
tie in their religious ceremonies, and there
is one very handsome species which is cul-
tivated by the florists almost exclusively
for the Jewish festivities and festivals. 1t
is called "broad-leaved Jews myrtle" But
it is in the sunny south that the full per-
fume of the myrtle groves can be best ap
preciated The ardent sun extracts the per-
fume and scents the very air we breathe.
The hedges in many parts of Italy are
formed of myrtle. Visitors to the Cape of
Good Hope come back with ecstatic tales
of the perfume of the myrtles, combining
withthe scent of orange and lemon groves.
The myrtle tree grows to considerable
height in some places, markedly in the Ca
nary Isles. The myrtle has highly astrin-
gent properties, and is much used as po-
made for improving the hair and to prevent
its falling out It is related, in illustration
of this astringent quality of the myrtle, in
the Dictionaire Portatif d d'Historie Natur-
elle,' that curious youth, while waiting
in the boudoir of lady in Paris, to kill
time began investigating the contents of
some of the little pots and vases scattered
about and came across this famous prepara-
tion for the growth of the hair, which he i'm
mediately began to apply to his upper lip.
While engaged in this interesting occupation
he was disturbed by the entrance of the lady,
and to hide his embarrassment, attempted
to apologize, but vainly; the lips were tightly
closed by the pomade's astringent property,
The lady at glance took in the situation.
and after an uncomfortable burst of laugh
ter relieved the youth from his awkward
dilemma by an application of more lubri-
eating character.
The myrtle is charmingly alluded to by
Claude Melnotte in his description to Pau
line of the palace by the lake of Como, in
the following words: 'Nay dearest, nay;
if thou would'st have me paint the
home to which, could love fulfill its pray
ers, this hand would lead you, listen IA
deep vale shut out by Alpine hills from the
rude world; near clear lake, margin'd by
fruits of gold and whispering myrtle; glass
ing softest skies, as cloudless, save with rare
and roseate shadows, as would have thy
fate"
The only thing which every one can do,
L