pfant T^ore, "bege?^/, and. iQijric/", 347 



describing shipments of precious woods, incense, and " verdant 

 incense trees brought among the precious things from the land of 

 Arabia for the majesty of their god Amnion, the lord of the terrestrial 



thrones." The Philistines reverently burnt Frankincense before 



the fish-god Dagon. In ancient days it was accepted as tribute. 

 Darius, for instance, received from the Arabians an annual tribute 



of one thousand talents of Frankincense. When the Magi, or 



wise men of the East, following the guidance of the miraculous 

 star, reached Bethlehem and paid their homage to the infant 

 Saviour, they made an offering of gold. Frankincense, and Myrrh, 

 by whicli symbolical oblation they acknowledged Him as King 



(gold), God (incense), and Man (Myrrh). The Roman Catholic 



and Greek churches, especially the churches of South America, 

 consume an immense quantity of Olibanum, as do the Chinese in 

 their joss-houses. 



FRAXINELLA.— The Fraxinella (Didammis) is deemed 

 a most sacred plant by the fire-worshippers of India, and is highly 

 reverenced by them on account of its singular powers of luminosity. 

 The plant is covered with minute glands which excrete volatile oil : 

 this is continually evaporating from its surface, and forms a highly 

 inflammable atmosphere round the plant. If a light be brought 

 near it, the plant is enveloped by a transient flame, but without 

 sustaining an)- injury. When gently rubbed, the plant emits a de- 

 licious scent, like lemon-peel. 



Friar's Cap. — See Monkshood. 



FRITILLARY.— The origin of the Fritillaria, or Crown Im- 

 perial, is given by Rapin in the following lines : — 



"Then her gay gilded front th' Imperial Crown 

 Erects a'oft, and with a scornful frown 

 O'erlooks the subject plants, while humbly they 

 Wait round, and homage to her highness pay ; 

 High on llie summit of her stem arise 

 I-eaves in a verdant tuft of largest size ; 

 Below thi's tuft the gilded blossoms bent, 

 Like golden cups reversed, are downwards sent ; 

 But in one view collected they compose 

 A crown-like form, from whence her name arose. 

 No flower aspires in pomp and state more high, 

 Nor, could her odour with her beauty vie, 

 Would lay a juster claim to majesty. 

 A Queen she was whom ill report belied. 

 And a rash husband's jealousy destroyed ; 

 Driv'n from his bed and court the fields she ranged, 

 Till spent with grief was to a blossom changed, 

 Vet only changed as to her human frame : 

 She kept th' Imperial beauty and the name ; 

 But the report destroyed her former sweets : 

 Scandal, though false, the fair thus rudely treats, 

 And always the most fair with most injustice meets." 



This flower is a native of Persia, and was for some time known as 

 L ilium Pcrsicum. According to Madame de Genlis, it derived its 



