the name of the rose is very similar in most languages, but of its primitive derivation very little or nothing is known. it is rhodon in greek; rhos, in celtic; rosa, in latin, italian, spanish, portuguese, hungarian, and polish; rose, in french, saxon, and english; rosen, in german; roose, in dutch; rhoshà, in sclavonic; ros, in irish; ruoze, in bohemian; ouasrath, in arabic; nisrin, in turkish; chabhatzeleth, in hebrew; and gul, in persian. these are the various names by which the flower has been known from very early times, and a strong resemblance can be traced through all. the latin name, rosa, also forms a component part of terms used to designate several other things.
the name of rosary was given to a string of beads used in the romish church to represent a certain number of prayers; it was instituted about the year 667, but was not[pg 203] much used until peter the hermit excited the christian nations to the crusade, about 1096. dominique, a romish saint, established, in 1207, the brotherhood of the rosary, and the festival of the rose was instituted in 1571 by pope pius v., in thanksgiving for the victory gained by the christians over the turks at lepante. subsequent popes gave to that ceremony more éclat, and caused it to be established in spain. the name of rosary was formerly also given to the vessel used in distilling rose-water. the rose has also given the idea of new forms of beauty in architecture and the arts. a rose is sometimes sculptured in the centre of each face of a corinthian capital. it is also frequently seen in iron castings for the banisters of the stone steps of a house, and it is sometimes displayed upon the pavement in front of some splendid mansion. this, however, is rare in the united states, although frequent in europe.
among all the imitations of the rose, none can compare with those painted on glass, some of which can be found in the windows of celebrated european cathedrals in canterbury, cologne, milan, rheims, st. denis, and others. we can scarcely imagine anything more beautifully soft than these paintings on glass, as seen from the interior of a church, in the rich light of a glowing sunset; the rose thus painted seems to possess all the freshness and beauty of the real flower.
the nave of the cathedral of paris, besides twenty-four large windows, is lighted by three others, large and magnificent, in the shape of a rose, which are each forty feet in diameter. the paintings on glass which ornament these windows were executed in the 13th century, and still retain their fresh and bright colors: that over the grand entrance represents the signs of the zodiac, and the agricultural labors of each month.
in heraldry, the rose frequently forms part of a shield, in full bloom, with a bud in the centre, and with five[pg 204] points to imitate thorns; it is an emblem of beauty and of nobility acquired with difficulty.
the golden rose was considered so honorable a present, that none but monarchs were worthy to receive it.
in the 11th century, the pope introduced the custom of blessing a golden rose, which he presented to some church, or to some prince or princess, as an especial mark of his favor.
in 1096, the pope urban ii. gave a golden rose to the comte d’anjou. alexander iii. sent one to louis, king of france, in acknowledgment of the attentions of that prince during the pope’s visit to france, as stated in a letter which he wrote the king.
“in accordance with the custom of our ancestors, in carrying a rose of gold in their hands on dimanche l?tare, we do not think we can present it to one who merits it more than yourself, from your devotion to the church and to ourselves.”
pope john, in 1415, sent the golden rose to the emperor sigismund. martin v., in 1418, sent another to the same prince. pius ii., in 1461, sent one to thomas paleologue, emperor of constantinople. henry viii., of england, before his separation from the church of rome, received the golden rose twice; the first from julius ii., and the second from leo x.; and in 1842, the pope’s nuncio capaccini presented it to donna maria, queen of portugal. isabella, queen of spain, was presented with it a few years since.
the public ceremony of blessing the rose was not instituted until 1366, by urban v.: that pontiff, wishing to give a particular mark of his esteem to joanna, queen of sicily, solemnly blessed a golden rose, which he sent her, and made at the same time a decree, that a similar one should be consecrated every year. for fifty or sixty years, the pope gave the rose to princes who came to rome; and it was the custom to give 500 louis to the[pg 205] officer who carried it for the pope. the rose, in its intrinsic value, was, however, sometimes worth double that sum.
we have thus given all the information we have been able to collect respecting the history of the rose.
we shall feel abundantly gratified if the facts and anecdotes we have cited shall tend to enhance the already growing interest in this flower; and by thus connecting it with the lore of antiquity, cast around it a bright halo of pleasant associations.
among the various riches of the garden, there are many flowers of great attractions: some we admire for their beautiful forms, others for their brilliant colors, and others again for their delightful fragrance; and we scarcely know which to pronounce the most pleasing. but whatever may be our feelings of admiration for these beautiful flowers, a desire for something still more beautiful draws us to the rose, and compels us to pronounce it superior to all its rivals. it is the rose alone that never fatigues, that always exhibits some new beauty, and that is never affected by fashion; for while dahlias and other flowers have had their hour of favor, and have passed out of notice, the rose has been a favorite for some three thousand years, and is still the first and most beautiful,—the chef d’?uvre of the vegetable kingdom.
the rose is rendered a favorite by many pleasant associations. it has been the cherished flower of the ancient poets, and with modern poets it has lost none of its charms, but is still apostrophized and made an object of frequent comparison. with the ancients, it was, as we have seen, the ornament of their festivals, their altars, and their tombs: it was the emblem of beauty, youth, modesty, and innocence, and was full of tender sentiment[pg 206] and pleasant images. a french writer, in a somewhat more extravagant vein of laudation, says, “its name alone gives birth in all sensible minds to a crowd of pleasant thoughts, while, at the same time, it excites a sensation of the most delightful pleasures, and the most sweet enjoyments.” the name of “queen of flowers,” has been given to the rose, almost from time immemorial; but this name is particularly applicable to the r. centifolia and the hybrids from it. yet the little, modest wild rose, found only in woods and hedges, adorns the solitude where it grows, and possesses for many a charm not surpassed by that of any of the cultivated varieties: its regularly formed corolla, of a soft and delicate color, combines in its simplicity many an attraction not found in the most beautiful flowers of the garden; and late in the season, when the fields are stripped of their verdure, the landscape is enlivened by the bright appearance of its red, coral-like fruit.
the beauty of the rose has preserved it and its reputation for many ages. the most populous nations, the largest cities, the most wealthy and powerful kingdoms, have disappeared from the earth, or have been involved in the revolutions and subversions of empires, while a simple flower has escaped them all, and still remains to tell its story. it has seen a hundred generations succeed each other, and pass away; it has traveled through ages without changing its destiny or losing its character: the homage rendered and the love borne it have been always the same: now, as in the earliest periods of the world’s history, it is decreed the first place in the floral kingdom. in these days, as in those of antiquity, it is par excellence, the queen of flowers, because it is always the most beautiful, and because no other flower can furnish half its charms. to elegance and beauty of form it unites the freshness and brilliance of the most agreeable colors, and, as if nature had showered upon it all her most precious[pg 207] gifts, it adds to its other qualities a delightful perfume, which alone would suffice to entitle it to a distinguished place among the beautiful and pleasant things of the vegetable kingdom.
