HALE, Sarah Josepha "Flora’s Interpreter" [Sanborn & Carter, 1856]

HALE, Sarah Josepha. Flora’s Interpreter, and Fortuna Flora.

Boston: Sanborn, Carter and Bazin; Portland: Sanborn & Carter, 1856. Revised and enlarged edition, with new illustrations. 12mo. Publisher’s green cloth, boards stamped in blind, spine decorated in gilt. Cracked front hinge; mild foxing throughout; one color plate bound in upside down; multiple ownership marks to the front free endpaper. Good+.

A popular mid-19th century gift book blending botany, sentiment, and symbolism, pairing flowers with moral and emotional meanings alongside short poetic selections. Works of this kind functioned as both reference and social guide, allowing readers to “speak” through floral arrangements. Authored by Sarah Josepha Hale, influential editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book, the volume reflects the period’s fascination with the language of flowers and the codification of sentiment through nature.