BY THE RIVERSIDE. Ill 



flora. Longfellow taking this gem for a theme 

 gave us one of his most pleasing poems. I can- 

 not find place for it all, but here are given a few 

 stanzas : 



" Beautiful lily, dwelling by still rivers 



Or sheltering mere, 



Or where the sluggish meadow-brook delivers 

 Its waters to the weir. 



"Born in the purple, born to joy and pleasance, 



Thou dost not toil nor spin, 

 But makest glad and radiant with thy presence 

 The meadow and the lin. 



" O flower-de-luce, bloom on and let the river 



Linger to kiss thy feet ! 

 O flower of song, bloom on and make forever 

 The world more fair and sweet ! " 



The poet calls this flower a lily, which it is 

 not ; but there has been a good deal of con- 

 fusion about it in song and story, where it is 

 often termed a lily. Fleur-de-lis is a corruption 

 from Fleur-de-Louis, for Louis VII of France 

 chose it as his heraldic emblem when he went 

 on his crusade to the Holy Land. We have 

 also a white variety growing here and there 

 among the blue. I do not think it is to be 

 reckoned as a species, although it is surely well 

 on the way to that distinction. The root of the 

 blue flag is used in medicine, but I do not know 



