. Among the nations of
antiquity, an offering of perfumes was regarded as a token of the most
profound respect and homage. Incense, or Frankincense, which exudes by
incision and dries as a gum, from _Arbor-thurifera_, was formerly burnt
in the temples of all religions, in honor of the divinities that were
there adored. Many of the primitive Christians were put to death because
they would not offer incense to idols.

"Of the use of these luxuries by the Greeks, and afterwards by the
Romans, Pliny and Seneca gives much information respecting perfume
drugs, the method of collecting them, and the prices at which they
sold. Oils and powder perfumery were most lavishly used, for even
three times a day did some of the luxurious people anoint and
scent themselves, carrying their precious perfumes with them to
the baths in costly and elegant boxes called NARTHECIA."

In the Romish Church incense is used in many ceremonies, and
particularly at the solemn funerals of the hierarchy, and other
personages of exalted rank.

Pliny makes a note of the tree from which frankincense is procured, and
certain passages in his works indicate that dried flowers were used in
his time by way of perfume, and that they were, as now, mixed with
spices, a compound which the modern perfumer calls _pot-pourri_, used
for scenting apartments, and generally placed in some ornamental Vase.

It was not uncommon among the Egyptian ladies to carry about the person
a little pouch of odoriferous gums, as is the case to the present day
among the Chinese, and to wear beads made of scented wood. The
"bdellium" mentioned by Moses in Genesis is a perfuming gum, resembling
frankincense, if not identical with it.

Several passages in Exodus prove the use of perfumes at a very early
period among the Hebrews. In the thirtieth chapter of Exodus the Lord
said unto Moses: "1. And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon;
of Shittim wood shalt thou make it." "7. And Aaron shall burn thereon
sweet incense every morning; when he dresseth the lamps he shall burn
incense upon it." "34. Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha,
and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall
there be a like weight." "35. And thou shalt make it a perfume, a
confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together pure and
holy." "36. And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it
before the testimony in the taberna