Iris. 
255 
The conjectured origin of this name is thus detailed by the 
Abbe la Pluche in his “ Spectacle de la Nature 
The upper part of one leaf of the lily, when fully expanded, 
and the two contiguous leaves, beheld in profile, have a faint 
likeness to the top of the flower-de-luce; so that the original 
flower-de-luce, which often appears in the crowns and sceptres 
in the monuments of the first and second races of kings, was 
most probably a composition of these three leaves. Lewis VII. 
engaged in the second crusade; distinguished himself, as was 
customary in those times, by a particular blazon, and took this 
figure for his coat of arms; and as the common people gene¬ 
rally contracted the name of Lewis into “ Luce,” it is natural 
to imagine that this flower was, by corruption, distinguished in 
process of time by the name of flower-de-Luce. 
Some antiquarian Dryasdusts object to this floral origin of 
the French arms, and are of opinion they represent three toads, 
and that these, becoming odious to the people, were gradually 
transmogrified into the lilies of France! 
The German peasantry are fond of cultivating a fleur-de-lis, 
sometimes called Iris Germanica, on the roofs of their cottages. 
In alluding to this custom, in an old “Language of Flowers,” it 
is stated that “ when the wind waves its beautiful flowers, and 
the sun gilds their petals, tinged with gold, purple, and azure, 
it looks as if light flames were playing on the top of those 
rustic dwellings.” 
The flag is prettily pictured by Charlotte Smith as 
“Amid its waving swords, in flaming gold 
The iris towers.” 
This plant is spoken of in Exodus as affording a hiding- 
place for the infant Moses; but it is impossible to decide upon 
its identity with the common English flag, to which Shakspeare 
and many of our older poets so frequently advert in their 
writings. 
The fleur-de-lis, deemed typical of a flame, or as denoting 
“ I bumf is thus beautifully presented by the author of “Christ’s 
Yictorie:” 
“ The flowers-de-luce and the round sparks of dew 
That hung upon their azure leaves, did show 
Like twinkling stars that sparkle in the evening blue.’' 
