INTRODUCTION. 
9 
umphant from the conflict, and had gained the 
reward of love. 
In France, where the symbolical meaning of 
colours was formed into a regular system, great 
importance was attached to the art of expressing 
ideas by the selection of particular colours for 
dresses, trimmings, &c. Francis I., however, 
broke through all the rules of etiquette on this 
point. In the reign of that monarch, widows 
were permitted to wear any colours and stuff's 
they pleased for under-garments, and for gowns 
they were at liberty to choose one of two colours, 
a privilege which they had not previously en¬ 
joyed. In course of time, the practice of adopt¬ 
ing colours for the purpose of emblematic repre¬ 
sentations gradually declined, and was observed 
only in the choice of arms and liveries, in which 
it has been retained, with certain modifications, 
to the present day. 
In the ages of chivalry, red was highly es¬ 
teemed as the colour of love, and, accordingly, 
the rose was, on account of its tint, a favourite 
emblem. Thus, in the romance of Perceforet, 
a hat adorned with roses is celebrated as a 
favourite gift of love ; and, in Amadis de Gaul, 
