1 82 PROSERPINA. 



12. In case you cannot gather a fleur-de-lys 

 leaf, I have drawn for you, in Plate VI., a cluster 

 of such leaves, which are as pretty as any, and so 

 small that, missing the points of a few, I can draw 

 them of their actual size. You see the pretty 

 alternate interlacing at the bottom, and if you can 

 draw at all, and will try to outline their curves, you 

 will find what subtle lines they are. I did not know 

 this name for the strong-edged grass leaves when I 

 wrote the pieces about shield and sword leaves in 

 ' Modern Painters ' ; I wish I had chanced in those 

 passages on some other similitude, but I can't alter 

 them now, and my trustful pupils may avoid all 

 confusion of thought by putting gladius for ensis, 

 and translating it by the word ' scymitar,' which 

 is also more accurate in expressing the curva- 

 ture blade. So we will call the ensatse, instead, 

 ' gladiolae,' translating, ' scymitar-grasses.' And 

 having now got at some clear idea of the dis- 

 tinction between outlaid and inlaid growth in the 

 stem, the reader will find the elementary analysis 

 of forms resulting from outlaid growth in ' Modern 

 Painters ' ; and I mean to republish it in the sequel 

 of this book, but must go on to other matters here. 

 The growth of the inlaid stem we will follow as 

 far as we need, for English plants, in examining 

 the grasses. 



