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Jritillaria impcvialis. Natural Order: Liliacece—Lily Family. 
IMPERIAL chessboard is the significance of the name of this 
■#!„ plant. Persia, a land of roses, of beautiful women, and of 
kingly power in one of its most arbitrary forms, gave it birth; 
and, in selecting a floral emblem of imperial sovereignty, 
there is an appropriateness in choosing a native of that coun¬ 
try, which gave birth to one of the earliest of the world’s 
great emperors, Cyrus, and where also a despotism worse than his 
still prevails. The root of the Crown Imperial is bulbous, and when 
placed in the ground should remain undisturbed for years if possible. 
The lower leaves are long and narrow, like most lilies. The flower 
stalk rises to the height of from three to four feet without leafage, and 
on the summit appear numerous large, bell-shaped flowers, surrounding 
the stem in a circle, the mouth of the flower turned downward. Sur¬ 
mounting these is a tuft of narrow leaves, which appear in fine contrast 
to the brilliant color of the blossom, which is red or yellow. 
AH! not a minute, king, thy power can give; 
^ Shorten my days thou canst with sullen sorrow, 
And pluck nights from me, but not lend a morrow; 
Thou canst help Time to furrow me with age, 
But stop no wrinkle in his pilgrimage; 
Thy word is current with him, for my death; 
But dead, thy kingdom cannot buy my breath. 
— Shakespeare. 
'T'HIS was a truth to us extremely trite, 
A Not so to her who ne’er had heard such things; 
She deemed her least command must yield delight, 
Earth being only made for queens and kings. 
—Byron. 
/A H! covet not the throne and crown, 
^ Sigh not for rule and state; 
The wise would fling the scepter down, 
And shun the palace gate. 
— Eliza Cook. 
T T E is a king, 
A A true, right king, that dares do aught, save wrong. 
— Marston. 
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