Importance of the Lotos--Varieties of Lotos--Statements by Herodotus, Homer, Theophrastus, Dioscorides, Pliny, Athenæus and others--The arborescent Lotos--The Sacred Lotos of the Nile--The Indian Lotos--Nepaulese adoration of the Lotos-- Shing-moo, the Chinese Holy Mother--Lakshmi--The Queens of Beauty--The Loves of Krishna and Radha. CHAPTER V. (FIRE) 43 Story of the Fire-god and his Secret--Growth of Fire Worship-- Fire an essential in Hindoo Worship--The Chaldeans--The Persians--The Hebrews--Fire in Hindu Ceremonies--Duties of Hindu Life--The Serpent and Fire--Phallo-Pythic Solar Shrines-- Fire and Phallic Worship--Leaping through fire--Fire-treading in Scotland--Fire-leaping in Russia--The Medes as Fire Worshippers--The Sabines--Fire and the Ancient Christians--The Roman Church and Fire--The Jews--Temple of Vesta--Fire Worship in Ireland--Phallo-fire-worship of the Greeks and Romans. CHAPTER VI. (FIRE) 60 Fire Worship in the States of the Mediterranean--Special sacredness of the Public City-fire of Greece and Rome--The Sacred Fire of Tlachtga--Ceylon Fire Worship--The Parsees-- Persian Monuments--Impiety of Cambyses--Cingalese Terms, Sanscrit, Welsh, &c.--The Yule Log--Fire Worship in England-- Fire of Beltane--Druidical Fires--May-day Fires--November Fires in Ireland--Between two Fires--Scotland--The Summer Solstice-fire Ceremonies--Worship of Baal in Ireland--St. John's Day-- Bonfires--Decree of Council of Constantinople. CHAPTER VII. (FIRE) 75 Paradise Lost and Moloch--The God of the Ammonites--The slaughter of Children by Fire, notices in the Scriptures--Fire Ceremonies and Moloch--Sacred Fire of the Phœnicians--The Carthaginians-- Custom of Oziese--Sardinian Customs and Moloch--The Cuthites-- Persian Fire Worship--House-fires of Greece and Rome--Sacred Books of the East--Laws of Manu--The Rig Veda and Hymns to Agni, the God of Fire--Vesta, Worship of--The Magi--Zoroaster. FISHES, FLOWERS, AND FIRE. CHAPTER I. _Frequent occurrence of the Fish Symbol--Fish Heraldry--Earliest Devices--Fish Devices in churches and other public buildings--The Catacombs--Ichthus--Fish Devices in Glastonbury Abbey, &c.--The Book Fish--Glasgow Fish Arms--The Fish and Ring Story of Scotland--Solomon and the Fish and Ring--The Hermit's Fish Pond of St. Neot's--The Sacred Perch--The Dolphin--Neptune._