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The immortal Amaranth, "a flower which once in Paradise, fast by the tree of life, began to bloom, but soon for man's offence to Heaven removed," must not be omitted from our pages. Clement of Alexandria refers to it as the Amarantus fins, symbolum immortali
tatis, and it was thus received for centuries. The name is from the Greek word for immortal, and was bestowed
upon it from its never-withering flowers of ruby red.
Felicia Hemans, amongst others, refers to it in her fine poem on " Elysium : " " Fair wert thou, in the dreams Of elder time, thou land of glorious flowers, And summer winds, and low-toned silvery streams Dim with the shadows of thy laurel bowers ! Where, as they passed, bright hours Left no faint sense of parting, such as clings To earthly love, and joy in loveliest things." We could not forbear quoting the opening lines, but m the reference we seek occurs a few verses farther on, iti allusion to those " Who, called and severed from the countless dead, Amidst the shadowy Amaranth-bowers might dwell And listen to the swell Of those majestic hymn notes, and inhale The spirit wandering in th' immortal gale." The passage in our New Testament translated " A crown of glory that fadeth not away " is in the original Greek " The amaranthine crown of glory." Milton is frequently found to use the word ; it occurs several times in the " Paradise Lost." The following fine passage from the third book Of that poem will sufficiently well illustrate his application ofit " The multitude of angels, with a shout Loud as from numbers without number, sweet As from blest voices, uttering joy. Heaven rang With jubilee, and loud hosannas filled The eternal regions. Lowly reverent Towards either throne they bow, and to the ground With solemn adoration, down they cast Their crowns inwove with amaranth and gold-Immortal amaranth." This plant Milton represents as " shading the fount of life," and with its blooid-red flowers " With these, hat never fade, the spirits elect Bind their r splendent locks." |