The Panther's Breath. 
23 
to exist in a chronic state of dignified rage. This con¬ 
dition could be best depicted by the attitude known in 
heraldry as rampant. In profile only could due promi¬ 
nence be given to teeth, claws, and tail. When for the 
sake of variety or economy of space the lion was repre¬ 
sented as passant gardant, or walking, with his face 
turned to the spectator, he was called a lion-leoparde , to 
denote that his ferocity was partially subdued. When 
rampant gardant he was a leopard-lionne. The charge of 
three lions leoparde , which now appears on the escutcheon 
of England, was first borne by Bichard 1. This nomen¬ 
clature gave rise to some confusion, and for a time the 
notion existed that leopards had a place in the English 
arms. It was not until the middle of the fifteenth cen¬ 
tury that the animals on the royal shield were blazoned 
as lions.” 
The leopard, or panther, of antiquity was chiefly 
remarkable for the sweetness of his breath, which was 
supposed to have an attraction for other animals. Ben 
Jonson has several allusious to this fancy:— 
“ You have a tongue steeped in honey, and a breath like a panther.” 
( Cynthia’s Revels , v. 2.) 
Other poets write :— 
“ The panther so, 
Breathes odors pretious as the sarmaticke gums 
Of Easterne groves, hut the delicious sent, 
Not taken in at a distance, choakes the sense 
With the too muskie savour.” 
(Glapthorne, The Hollander.) 
“ Your grace is hound 
To hunt the spotted panther to his ruin, 
Whose breath is only sweet to poison virtue.” 
(Shirley, The Royal Master.) 
Sir William Segar (Harleian MS. 6085) tells us:— 
“The panther is admired of all other beasts for the beauty of 
his skyn, being spotted with variable colours, and beloved and followed 
