of Tafts. 291 
have the fame Taste, as the Root of Contrayerva : and may therefore be 
ufed for the fame purpofe, with a probability of the like faccef ; if 
not a better, becaufe they may be gotten frefher. But by drying the 
Root, the Taf? and Virtue, which lie in its exhalible parts, are much 
loft. The Seeds of the lefler Cardamom, and of Zedoary Root, if found, 
have both a fmatch of the Taf? of Camphire. They may therefore all, 
fo far, reach the fame Cafe. 
3. $. Again, as we may make no ill conjecture from the famenefs of 
Tafte in Plants of feveral Tribes; fo from the diverlity of Ta/fe,in thofe 
ofthe fame. So the Flowers of all the Docks are evidently Aftringent, 
and not Sower ; except thofe of the Rha-pontich, which are extream 
fower, even in the sth degree. Which is no mean Signature of fome 
more than ordinary Virtue in it, befides what it hath in common with 
the reft of the Tribe. The Flowers of Pancy have a kind of fulfome 
Taft, plainly different from that of Violets : and in fome Hypochondri= 
acal Cafés may be more ufeful. 
4. $. Iclikewife importeth much, to obferve the difference of Tafte 
in the feveral Parts of the fame Plant. So the Barque of Saffafras is three 
times as (trong, as the Wood: and the like may be obferved in any 
other commonly known Tree. If therefore we could obtein the Bargues 
of Santalum, Lignum Rhodium, Lignum Aloes, &c. they would doubt- 
lef, moft of them, be of much greater uf. And as the Taße is fome- 
times (tronger ; fo, much more grateful, in one Part than in another : 
asin the Flowers or Yelow Attire in the Heads of Carduus Benedittus 5 
which being infufed in spirit of Wine, or other convenient Liquor, 
make a pleafant Cordial. Nature having laped up the Virtue in the 
Leavs, as in a brown Paper; but in the Flowers, as in Leaf-Gold. 
5. $. Asalfo, how far the Taffe of any Plant may alter, either in 
preferving, or preparing it. So the Root of Arum, when taken frefli 
out of the ground, is notably Pungent : but being throughly dryed, 
and efpecially kept for fome time, hath no more Tafte, and therefore 
in all likelyhood, no more Virtue, than a: Lump of Starch. The like 
we are to judge of all other Plants, whofe Virtue lieth in their exhali- 
ble Parts, The stillatitions Oyls of many Plants, are ftronger than the 
Leavs or other Parts from whence they are drawn: but fome there 
are, which are weaker ; as is that of Enphorbium, in which the Heat is 
neither pertinaceous, as in the Guz it flf, nor fo great. 
6. $. Wemay make, morcover, a jugdment from the Nature of 
the Taft. Sothofe Roots which are Bitter, and not Hot, as of Cichory, 
and the reltof the Intybows kind, may be accounted Nitro-sulphureows 5 
and fo, to be Abferfive without any Heating Quality. The Marnm 
Aufiriacum, which is extream Pungent, as well as Aromatick, may be 
looked upon as the belt Cephalich of that Tribe. we find, 
that Jalap hath a {pecial property of imitating the Glandulous Parts 
of the Mouth, and Throat; we may gather, That it is a better 
Purge to all the other Glauduloss Parts, than molt other Cat ks, 
Which is alfo one reafon.of its operation, for the moft part, w 
leaft a tendency to vomit 3 the Stomach it felf being Glandulous as well 
as the Throat, and thereby anfwerably affected with it, A ftrong 1 
fion of white Sarzaparilla in Water, botled up , and kept in a C. 
‘the fpace of two months, becomes extream f far beyond ar 
thing obferved in the Tafts of the Fuyces and 1 of divers 
Una 
LEVE 
y 
P: 
