54. LILIES. 
lar to the above, although much less in size, is the 
Lotus, or the famed Egyptian Water Lily, which was 
formerly adored as a deity by the idolatrous inhabit- 
ants of that country. It also grows in the river Gan- 
ges as well as the Nile, and is held in the same vene- 
ration by the natives of Hindostan and Nepal. One 
of the latter, upon entering the study of Sir William 
Jones, prostrated himself before some specimens 
which happened to lie there for examination. The 
Egyptians prepare a kind of bread from its seeds, 
:nd sometimes feed upon its tuberous roots. 
oe 
LLL ge 
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— EEE 
Pond Lily. 
The Lotus resembles very closely our own White 
Pond Lily, except that the flowers and leaves, instead 
of resting upon the surface of the water, rise some 
distance above it. 
Some authors believe the Lotus to be the Lily of 
the Old Testament, as very frequently, in Canticles, 
Solomon speaks of his beloved “feeding among 
lilies ;’” and the root, stalks, and seeds being common 
articles of Egyptian diet, would naturally lead to such 
a conclusion, especially as it is supposed that the 
