LILY. 
149 
duccd by the following circumstance. Jupiter, 
being desirous to render Hercules immortal, pre¬ 
vailed on Juno to take a deep draught of nectar; 
which, having been prepared by Somnus, threw 
the queen of the gods into a profound slumber. 
Jupiter took advantage of this to place the infant 
Hercules to her breast, that the divine milk might 
ensure his immortality. The infant, in his eager¬ 
ness, drew the milk faster than he could swallow 
it, and some drops fell to the earth, from which 
immediately sprang the White Lily. 
The ladies on the continent have long held in 
the highest esteem a cosmetic prepared from the 
flowers of the White Lily by means of a vapour- 
bath. It is said to preserve and improve the 
freshness of the complexion, and to remove pim¬ 
ples and freckles. 
