FBITILLAET. 243 



actually burnt or otherwise destroyed during the 



persecution of the Protestants in France, — atrocities 

 which not only disgraced humanity, but impo- 

 verished the country from that time to the present 

 moment, by driving the silk manufacturers into 

 this country, and giving to England that part of 

 commerce which France had previously and almost 

 exclusively enjoyed. 



These French refugees first established the silk 

 trade at Canterbury, in the reign of Queen Eliza- 

 beth ; from Canterbury it found its way to Spital- 

 fields, where it was for a long time carried on al- 

 most exclusively ; and at the present day we meet 

 with families on that spot who have descended from 

 the first settlers in the silk manufactory in these king- 

 doms, and whose peaceable habits and good conduct 

 as a body of people is proverbial. For a history 

 of the silk trade, see Pomarum Brit., third edition, 

 under the article Mulberry. 



Thus it is scarcely possible to meet the che- 

 quered flowers of the Fritillary without con- 

 templating that the events of our private lives are 

 not more chequered than those of nations ; and 

 not finding this flower in the vocabulary of floral 

 language, we place it there as the emblem of per- 

 secution, and recommend it to fill a situation in all 

 gardens, as a memento, that by persecuting others 

 we lessen our own portion of happiness. 



M 2 



