Thorn

Posted by Bookworm on November 22, 2004

In Reply to: Thorn posted by Shae on November 22, 2004

: : Does anybody know which thorn did Oscar Wilde refer to at the opening lines of "The picture of Dorian Gray"?
: : "The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses,and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of THE PINK-FLOWERING THORN.

: It's a pink-flowering variety of the hawthorn which normally has white flowers.

:
: : Also I was wondering whether the use of the word "or", actually means "and" in this context

I don't know that he means 'or' as 'and' in this case. I think he is saying that the two scents were flowing in alternatively so one could smell one, then the other. The use of 'and' would imply that both smells were wafting in at once.