Tue vicinity of Shiraz in Persia is said to yield roses more abundantly and of grenter fragrance than avy other part of Porein, just as the roses of Po are more abundant and more fragrant than those of any other country. Throughout India and Persia the petals are collected from the rose for the pur of making rose-water, and attar of roses, A cask or glazed jar is filled with the rose leaves, and spring water poured in sufficient to cover them. The vessel is then placed in the sun for two or three days. On the third day small particles of yellow oil are seen finaling on the surface of the water, They increase in a week toa thin cam, This is attar of roses. It is taken up by a little cotton tied to a stick and equerzed into a small vinl, When used it must be diffused by the addition of water, the odour being too powerful when concentrated, In Pt Ab bane quets and meetings of friends, rose water is sprinkled on the guests when they arrive, It is again sprinkled when the feast has proceeded a certain length. It isulsocooked withcinuamon and white sugar to be supped by members of the assembled party alternately with coffee. The Persians lave also another much valued odorous spirit called Arachifidueh, which is prepared from the flowers of the white jessnmine, the vine, the orange, the lily and the olive, They are a people who delight in obtaining from odoriferous flowers for the use of mon those precious scouts
sipnted. It was in the founs! time of the Arabian caliphate thet they which other nations allow to be sie learned from the Greeks the secret of distilling the perfumes inherent in the flowers of the garden and the forest. The sweetness of the odour of roses is increased by chipping saudaleood, whiok is added either to the rose leaves during the distilling process, or afterwards, Rose water is dearer than wine, and the altar or thick vil resembling butter is dearer then gold. he Persian word Gul means both flower and rose, for with them the rose is the lower par ex. celience. The word for water is Ab, and the compound Gulab, vase-water became known to the Chinese in the 14th century.
The Chinese had known rose-water from the Tang dynasty, for there is a pretty story of Liu Teung-yuen, the celebrated poet and writer, which men. tio He held any composition of Hui aw still more famous writer than himself, in such admiration that before reading it he washed his hands in rose-water in token of respect. The most benatiful productions of the soul of genius should be welcomed amidst the sweetest perfumes of (he garden, What kind of rose water it was that he used, and how made, we cannot vow know. It was simply called rose-water, The rose of Persia brought to China as beautiful exotic jowers in the second century before Enst, when Chinese enterprise first reached tartary, and opened the gates of the west by crossing the Young-ling mountains. In consequence of this, new and lovely varieties of the queen of flowers grew in the gardens of the Emperor Han Wu-ti at Chang-an. One day when he was walking with his favourite Li Chuan to look at the flow ore, the roses were just in their first bloom and seemed to smile on the Emperor and the Lady, " This flower," said the Emperor, "is more lovely than beauty's sweetest smile." Li Chuan replied, laughingly, "Can smiles be bought?" "Yes," said the Emperor. She then caused to be brought a Lune dred catties of gold, whicl, all
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