THE

Victoria Regia:

A VOLUME OF

ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS IN POETRY AND PROSE.

EDITED BY

ADELAIDE A. PROCTER.

V P

Non nebis volum.

LONDON:

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY EMILY FAITHFULL AND CO.,
Victoria Press, (for the Employment of Women,)

GREAT CORAM STREET, W.c.

Entered at Stationers' Hall.

AN ENGLISH TRAVELLER SAW THE QUEEN OF FLOWERS,

HE SOUGHT A NAME WHEREBY MIGHT BE EXPREST
THE CHIEFEST GLORY OF THIS WORLD OF OURS.
VICTORIA REGIA!-NEVER HAPPIER NAME

A FLOWER, A WOMAN, OR A QUEEN COULD CLAIM!

SO WE THIS TITLE WITH DUE REVERENCE CHOSE FOR THIS OUR FLOWER, WHICH WE ASPIRE TO LAY AT HER DEAR FEET ROUND WHOSE DOMINION FLOWS THE PERFECT LIGHT OF UNDECLINING DAY.

VICTORIA REGIA! MAY OUR BLOSSOM HOLD

IN PURE WHITE LEAVES A LOYAL HEART Of gold.