mis. 235 



Although the Iris is not considered as a Lily,, the 

 French have given it the name of one ; it is the Fleur-de- 

 lys, which figures in the arms of France. The Abbe la 

 Pluche, in Le Spectacle de la Nature, gives the following 

 conjectural origin of this name : 



" The upper part of one leaf of the Lily, when fully 

 expanded, and the two contiguous leaves beheld in profile, 

 have," he observes, " a faint likeness to the top of the 

 Flower-de-luce : so that the original Flower-de-luce, which 

 often appears on the crowns and sceptres in the monu- 

 ments of the first and second race of kings, was most pro- 

 bably a composition of these three leaves. Lewis the 

 Seventh engaged in the second crusade ; distinguished 

 himself, as was customary in those times, by a particular 

 blazon, and took this figure for his coat of arms ; and as 

 the common people generally contracted the name of Lewis 

 into Luce, it is natural," says the Abb6, " to imagine that 

 this flower was, by corruption, distinguished in process of 

 time by the name of Flower-de-luce."" But some antiquaries 

 are of opinion that the original arms of the Franks were 

 three toads ; which, becoming odious, were gradually 

 changed, so as to have no positive resemblance of any 

 natural object, and named Fleur-de-lys. 



Shakspeare appears to consider this flower as a Lily 

 only by courtesy : 



-"lilies of all kinds, 



The Flower-de-luce being one." 

 G. Fletcher gives a pretty picture of this flower : 



. ;'.'.;.. . ; " ., * ~ '. -. . \ '" s I 1 



" The Flowers-de-Luce, and the round sparks of dew 

 That hung upon their azure leaves did shew 

 Like twinkling stars, that sparkle in the evening blue." 



Drayton expressly distinguishes the Flower-de-luce from 

 the Liry : 



