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The A7iimal-Lore of Shahspeare’s Time . 
CHAPTER XIX. 
It may perhaps be thought unnecessary to take any 
notice of creatures that had only an imaginary existence; 
but while the unicorn supports the arms of England, the 
dragon of St. George is stamped upon the coin of the 
realm, and a griffin rampant guards the entry to the City 
of London, these mythical animals may surely claim a 
brief mention. 
Unicorn. 
“ Alon. Give us kind keepers, heavens. What 
were these ? 
Seb. A living drollery. Now I will believe 
That there are Unicorns.” 
( Tempest, iii. 3, 20.) 
Of all fabulous animals the unicorn is the most con¬ 
spicuous, from the position it holds in the English arms. 
The unicorn was first adopted as a supporter by James IV. 
of Scotland, and made its appearance as a supporter of 
the royal shield of England on the accession of James VI. 
to the English throne, as a token of the alliance between 
the two countries. 
The unicorn of the Greeks and Romans was probably 
founded upon some exaggerated description of the one¬ 
horned rhinoceros; but the unicorn of the Bible, according 
to Mr. Houghton, had reference to a species of bull. The 
Hebrew word reem , which denotes a two-horned animal, 
was the wild bull of the Assyrian monuments, an animal 
common at one time both in Palestine and Syria, and the- 
