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These are the values of the flowers as symbols; as emblems they 

 translate this Heaven as a perfected counter-part of the Church upon 

 Earth, 'for' says Durandus, commenting on the text, 'See the smell 

 of ray son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed. ' ' This 

 field is the Church, which is verdant with flowers, which shineth with 

 virtues, which is fragrant with good works ; and wherein be the roses 

 of martyrs, the lilies of virgins, the violets of confessors, and the verdure 

 of beginners in the faith ' Following the same authority, the trees are 

 emblems of righteous men, rich in good works. ^ 



So for three different reasons the flowers in this painted i^aradise 

 appealed to the devout. They help to give a realistic picture of Heaven, 

 presenting in form and colour the description of the prophet ; they 

 expressmystically the Christian graces; they represent, to the instructed, 

 the bands of martyrs, the choirs of virgins, and the countless happy 

 souls for which the painter had no space. 



The little childish beings, with wounds upon their necks or sides, 

 are the Holy Innocents. Two climb up the lilies which are their 

 attributes as virgin martyrs. Though unbapt'sed, the Innocents, since 

 they died for Christ, were permitted to enter Heaven. 



In the foreground, among the violets, are hares, the hare being an 

 ancient emblem of a Christian, founded upon the words of Tertullian 



' Upon us, as were we hares, is the hunt let loose.' - 



Also the early naturalists averred that the hare slept with his eyes 

 open ; whence the prayer of Saint Mectilda : 



'Grant, O Lord, that, like the hare, I may watch for Thee in 

 Spirit, even while my body takes its needful repose. =* 



Rat. Off. of. Altars. -^ Ad. Nat., 2, 3. 

 3 Spiritual Grace. 



