434 HEXANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. Convallaria, 
Lily op the Valley. May Lily. Woods and heaths, (preferring 
shady situations. E.) (Hampstead-heath, Middlesex, as observed by 
Gerard, and since by various other Botanists. E.) Castle Eden Dean. 
Mr. S. Robson. Common in moist woods in Craven, Yorkshire. Mr. 
Caley. Woods in Norfolk. Mr. Crowe. Rowdsey Wood, Cartmel, 
plentifully. Mr. Jackson. (In Garreg wen wood, near Garn, Denbigh¬ 
shire. Mr. Griffith. In woods at Grange, in Purbeck. Pulteney. Be¬ 
tween Bidston and Woodside, Cheshire. Dr. Bostock. In Hay Woods, 
Warwickshire Bree. Abundant in Shrawley Woods, Worcestershire. 
Plickman, in Purt. Cooms Wood, Armathwaite, Cumberland. Hut¬ 
chinson. Westfield, Ashford, Kent. Mr. G. E. Smith. Arniston and 
Collington Woods. Mr. Maughan. Grev. Edin. E.) P. May.* * 
* The flowers are highly fragrant, but when dried have a narcotic scent. Reduced to 
powder they excite sneezing; as an errhine it is still esteemed for relieving disorders of the 
head. An extract prepared from the flowers, or from the roots, partakes of the bitterness, 
as well as of the purgative properties, of aloes. The dose is from twenty to thirty grains. 
A beautiful and durable green colour may be prepared from the leaves by the assistance of 
lime. Sheep and goats eat it. Horses, cows, and swine refuse it. (In Germany the flowers 
form an ingredient in cephalic and cordial wine. The distilled water from the flowers was 
formerly in great repute, {Aqua Aurea), as a preventive of infectious distempers, and 
believed to be beneficial to the nerves. It is generally considered an agreeable perfume. 
By forcingin pots, this truly elegant flower, with its double white and red varieties, may be 
rendered available to the drawing room or boudoir, and thus will in the early Spring most 
agreeably 
“ Its balmy essence breathe.” 
As the emblem of Purity it is peerless even in the garland of lovely May: and 
“ Then the sweet Lily of the Vale 
In woodland dells is found, 
While whisp’ring winds its sweets exhale. 
And waft its fragrance round.” 
Apostrophizing the virtue of Humility, Hurdis moralizes thus ; 
-“ to the curious eye, 
A little monitor presents her page 
Of choice instruction, with her snowy bells, 
The Lily of the Vale. 
******* 
* * * * <c p or w h en the blast 
Her sister tribes confounds, and to the earth 
Stoops their high heads, that vainly were exposed, 
She feels it not, but flourishes anew. 
Still shelter’d and secure. And as the storm 
That makes the high elm couch, and rends the oak, 
The humble Lily spares ; a thousand blows 
That shake the lofty monarch on his throne 
We lesser folks feel not. Keen are the pains 
Advancement often brings. To be secure. 
Be humble ; to be happy, be content.” 
However edifying may be our present plant, there is no reason to assimilate it with the 
Lily of holy writ, upon which our Saviour descanted to the discouragement of human pride, 
and to illustrate the futility of worldly grandeur. Lilium candidum , the tall majestic Lily 
of our gardens, frequent in Palestine, and by the heathens consecrated to Juno, is conjec¬ 
tured by commentators to have been the plant so distinguished: 
<s That fair imperial flower. 
Which seemed designed for Flora’s hand. 
The sceptre of her power.” E.) 
