"SWEET SUMMER BUDS" 167 



Rush, trodden always under foot, became the 

 emblem of humility. Then take each of the tribes 

 and consider the extent of their lower influence. 

 Perdita's 'the Crown Imperial, lilies of all kinds,' 

 are the first tribe, which, giving the type of perfect 

 purity in the Madonna's Lily, have, by their lovely 

 form, influenced the entire decorative design of Ital- 

 ian sacred art ; while ornament of war was con- 

 tinually enriched by the curves of the triple petals of 

 the Florentine 'giglio' and the French fleur-de-lys; 

 so that it is impossible to count their influence for 

 good in the Middle Ages, partly as a symbol of 

 womanly character and partly of the utmost bright- 

 ness and refinement in the city which was the 'flower 

 of cities.' " 



Astrologers placed the lily under the moon; and 

 the flower is certainly dreamy enough and celestial 

 enough to be under the rule of Diana, or Astarte. 



Ill 



Crown-Imperial and "Flower-de-luce 



THE CROWN-IMPERIAL (Fritillaria im- 



peralis) is mentioned by Perdita. A native of 

 Persia, Afghanistan, and Kashmir, it was taken to 

 Constantinople, and thence to Vienna in 1576. 



