FLORA'S SCEPTRE 



Lily's height bespoke command, 

 fair, imperial flower; 

 seem'd design'd for Flora's hand, 

 sceptre of her power." 



Cowper. 



y^-^V NCE in a blue moon we face perfection. A few times 

 /^C^ W in life we look something in the eye in which no? 

 JL / / change could be wished even had we the power to 

 work change. So to me the lily has always appealed as quite 

 beyond improvement and rather as surrounded by the 

 odour of sanctity. Greater folk than you or I have found 

 themselves quite satisfied with the lily just as she is. It seems 

 as though I recollected Salisbury's telling King John that 



" To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, 

 To throw a perfume on the violet, //^ 

 To smooth the ice, or add another hue 

 Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light 

 To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish, 

 Is wasteful, ridiculous excess." _,^ V 



Full well I know that one other royal flower has eve; 

 contended sceptre and diadem with the lily. Hardly when I 



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