THE REAL SHAMROCK 269 



say. The custom of sending people on fool's errands on 

 the First of April is probably due to the change of the 

 calendar in France in 1564 ; but there is a Hindoo feast 

 on March 31st, when similar jokes are perpetrated. It is 

 called " Hull," which, in accordance with phonetic laws, 

 readily becomes " Fooli." This is probably only a 

 coincidence. 



A curious Easter custom in country districts in England 

 used to be (perhaps still is) that called " lifting " or 

 "leaving." On Easter Monday two men will join hands 

 so as to form a seat ; their companions then " by right 

 of custom " compel the women they may meet to sit, one 

 after the other, on the improvised throne and be lifted or 

 heaved as high as may be. On Easter Tuesday the 

 women perform the same rite upon the men. Strangers 

 thus assailed have been much disconcerted and have, 

 recorded their astonishment in " notes of travel." The 

 custom is said to be a popular degeneration of the cele- 

 bration of the Resurrection. 



An early Easter falls little in advance of St. Patrick's 

 Day, when there is much " wearing of the green " and 

 questioning as to what plant is " the real shamrock." 

 This matter has become so involved and developed by 

 wild enthusiasm, ignorance, and false sentiment that it is 

 difficult to deal with it. A distinguished Irishman once 

 showed me the " shamrock " he was wearing in his button- 

 hole as " the true " plant of that name. He assured me 

 that he had studied the subject from boyhood and knew 

 well the true and the false. " What is its flower like ? " 

 I asked him. " It never has a flower at all," he said. 

 Another injustice to Ireland, one must suppose, or a 

 miracle of St. Patrick's ! His " green " was a bit of the 

 small variety of the common clover, Trifolium repens, 

 which, of course, produces the usual tuft of florets or 



