81 
_ There is a charming suggestion of the shape of the butterfly’s wings in Mid- 
summer Night’s Dream, Act II., se. 1, where Titania bids the fairies : 
Pluck the wings from painted butterflies 
To fan the moon-beams from the sleeping eyes. 
(of the strange being with whom she is enamoured), 
An adjective that Shakespeare applies on two occasions to the butterfly is 
“oilded”: 
And laugh at gilded butterflies. 
: King Lear, Act V., sc. 2. 
I saw him run after a gilded butterfly. 
Coriolanus, Act I., sc, 3. 
What particular species he is alluding to in these passages we cannot tell— 
probably to one of the Fritillaries, and possibly to the “High Brown” (Argynnis 
adippe). In connection with this insect Morris writes:—“It has been well 
observed that all the best and highest enjoyiments of man are those which, com- 
ing as they do direct from the bounteous hand of the Omnipotent himself, are 
not purchasable with money or any other human commodity. Every aspect under 
which nature is viewed throws light upon this remark and gilds it with the 
unmistakable lustre of truth.” The under side of the hind-wings of Adippe are 
gorgeous with their large silver spangles and their rusty red spots. The combi- 
nation of these as the insect flutters by certainly gives the idea of gilding. Other 
adjectives used by Shakespeare in relation to butterflies are “ painted” (as above), 
and “summer” (Coriolanus, Act IV., se. 6), both appropriate enough. 
To moths and their larve we find many allusions. The canker-worm 
especially afforded the poet many apt and beautiful comparisons. Several of these 
refer to love. Who is not familiar with the words of Viola in Twelfth N ight 
telling of the effect of unrequited love upon health: 
She never told her love 
But let concealment, like a worm i’ the bud 
Feed on her damask cheek. 
Act IT., se. 4. 
There is wisdom quaintly expressed in the advice given by the suspicious 
Laertes to his sister: 
The chariest maid is prodigal enough, 
If she unmask her beauty to the moon: 
Virtue itself ’scapes not calumnious strokes ; : 
The canker galls the infants of the spring, 
Too oft before their buttons be disclosed ; 
And in the morn and liquid dew of youth 
Contagious blastments are most imminent. 
Hamlet, Act I., se. 3. 
In the Two Gentlemen of Verona we have a playful conversation upon the 
effect of love upon the understanding : 
Valentine.—Love is your master, for he masters you : 
And he that is so yoked by a fool, 
Methinks should not be chronicled for wise. 
Proteus.—Y et writers say, As in the sweetest bud 
The eating canker dwells, so eating love 
Inhabits in the finest wits of all. 
Valentine.—And writers say, As the most forward bud 
Is eaten by the canker ere it blow, 
Even so by love the young and tender wit 
Is turn’d to folly ; blasting in the bud, 
Losing his verdure even in the prime, 
And all the fair effects of future hopes. . 
In another passage beautiful and pathetic “grief” is the canker. The unhappy 
Constance speaks of her little son Arthur, who is in the toils of his wicked uncle 
John: 
But now will canker sorrow eat my bud 
And chase the native ee from his cheek, 
ing John, Act ITI, se. 4. 
6 (EN.) 
