Of SABLE the derivation is very uncertain. It seems unlikely to have been taken from the colour of the diminutive animal now known by this name, first, because it would then rank under the category of _furs_; and, secondly, because that animal is far from black. Indeed, the best sable is of a light brown or sand colour. Dallaway quotes a line, however, which might be adduced in support of this derivation: "Sables, ermines, vair et gris." Guillim derives it from _sabulum_, gross sand or gravel, but this seems very improbable, although I have nothing better to substitute. It is curious that 'sable' and 'azure' should have been selected from the 'jargon' of heraldry for poetical use, to the exclusion of other similar terms: "By this the drooping daylight 'gan to fade, And yield his room to sad succeeding night, Who with her _sable_ mantle 'gan to shade The face of earth, and ways of living wight." _Faerie Queen._ "Thus replies Minerva, graceful, with her _azure_ eyes." _Pope._ PURPURE (purple) is not common in English armory: still less so are the _stainant_ or disgraceful colours, TENNY (orange) and MURREY, which Dr. Johnson defines as "darkly red," deriving it through the French _morée_, and the Italian _morello_. The fine cherry designated by this last word is, when ripe, of the exact colour intended by murrey. Bacon says, "Leaves of some trees turn a little _murrey_, or reddish;" and "a waistcoat of _murrey_-coloured satin" occurs in the writings of Arbuthnot. By these terms were the arms of gentlemen described; but for the arms of nobility they were not sufficiently lofty. These were blazoned by the precious stones, as _topaz_ for yellow, _ruby_ for red, &c. For the arms of princes it was necessary to go a step higher, namely, to the heavenly bodies, _Sol_, _Luna_, _Mars_, &c. Sir John Ferne enumerates several other sets of terms, in all thirteen, which he classifies thus: 1, planets; 2, precious stones; 3, vertues; 4, celestiall signes; 5, months; 6, days of the week; 7, ages of man; 8, flowers; 9, elements; 10, sesons of the yeer; 11, complexions; 12, numbers; 13, mettailes. What would those who are disgusted with the 'jargon' of our science say to such blazon as the following?-- He beareth _Sunday_, a lion rampant _Tuesday_. He beareth _Faith_, a wolf salient _Loyalty_. He beareth _Marigold_, a bear passant, _Blue Lily_, muzzled _White Rose_. He beareth, _Infancy_, three grasshoppers _Virility_. He beareth, _Melancholy_, three asses' heads, _Flegmatique_!