INTRODUCTION. 11 



Sadi the Persian poet, when a slave, pre- 

 sented a rose to his lord with this pathetic 

 accompaniment : ''do good to thy servant 

 whilst thou hast the power, for the season of 

 power is often as transient as the duration of 

 this beautiful flower." The heart could not 

 resist what was so forcibly communicated by 

 the ear and the eye, and Sadi consequently 

 obtained his freedom. 



The Eastern nations not only used emblems 

 in writing, but they also expressed them- 

 selves by figurative language in conversation. 

 Thus we find in Scripture that the '' harvest" 

 or " the reaping of the earth," was symbolical 

 of the gathering in of the Jewish people, and 

 the " vintage" the symbol of judgment. 



Heraldry is nothing more than a pictorial 

 style of writing the achievements of men, 

 which was better adapted to the age in which 

 it originated than a more mysterious style, 

 since even the most illiterate could conceive 



