1847 The Language of Flowers

When my great aunt died at age 90 some years ago, there were several trips made to her home in May's Lick Kentucky.  You haven't heard of May's Lick?  The Asparagus Bed of Mason County?  Incredible place.

In her belongings, there was a little box of things "no one else wanted" and me being me and loving box lots of miscellany, I took it home.

Contained inside was this little book entitled "The Language of Flowers, Poetically Expressed, Being a Complete Flora's Album"  dated 1847.  Yes--a book published 167 years ago.

This little book is filled with poems and stories about more than a 100 different types of flowers and blooms, including American Star Wort, Brambles, Candy Tuft, Fig Marigold, Dead Leaves (yes really) Love In A Mist and Snowball.

Here is a short quote from the introduction-
"Flowers are the smiles of nature and earth would seem a desert without them. How profuse is nature in the bestowment of her smiles?  They are seen on every hillside and in every valley. They cheer the traveller on his public way and the hermit in his seclusion."

The book has no author given--just initials--JSA.  So, most assuredly a woman.