ON THE MISSELTOE. 



always separated from the oak with a golden hook. Amongst other 

 uses to which it was applied, it was worn as an amulet agains poisons ; 

 and the powder was taken by married females to ensure fertility. 

 This use of the Misseltoe was however not confined to the Druids, for 

 Matthiolus observes, " Idem col to ^ aut brachio pro amuleto suspen- 

 smn, cum suo cortice gravidarum conceptum adjuvaV^* 



From a passage in the ^neid, similar reverence appears to 

 have been paid to the Misseltoe of the oak, in the rites of Proser- 

 pine, ^neas having sought the aid of the sybil, the priestess of 

 Proserpine, to gain access to the sty gian shades, receives the fol- 

 owing counsel.— 



" In the neighbouring grove 



There stands a tree : the queen of Stygian Jove 



Claims it her own : thick woods and gloomy night 



Conceal the happy plant from human sight. 



One bough it bears; but (wond'rous to behold) 



The ductile rind and leaves of radiant gold : 



This from the vulgar branches must be torn, 



And to fair Proserpine the present borne, 



Ere leave be given to tempt the nether skies, 



The first thus rent, a second will arise ; 



And the same metal the same room supplies. 



Look round the wood, with lifted eyes, to see 



The lurking gold upon the fatal tree : 



Then rend it off, as holy rites command : 



The willing metal will obey thy hand ; 



Following with ease, if favour'd by thy fate, 



Thou art foredoomed to view the Stygian state : 



If not, no labour can the tree constrain, 



And strength of stubborn arms and steel are vain."f 

 And again, having followed his guides, the celestial doves of 

 Venus : — 



" They wing'd their flight aloft, then, stooping low, 



Perch'd on the double tree, that bears the golden bough. 



Through the green leaves the glittering shadows glow; 



As on the sacred oak, the wint'ry Missletoe, 



Where the proud mother views her precious brood, 



And happier branches which she never sowed. 



Such was the glittering, such the ruddy rind. 



And dancing leaves that wanton'd in the wind. 



He seized the shining bough with griping hold, 



And rent away, with ease, the ling' ring gold. 



Then to the sybil's palace bore the prize." J 



The comparison of the golden bough to the Misseltoe of the 

 oak in this passage, and the terms in which the latter is alluded 

 to, shew that the reverence in which this plant was held by the 

 Druids, was not confined to them, unless indeed, we adopt Mr, 

 Parkliursfs suggestion, that the Cumsean Sybil was a Celtic 

 Druidess.ll 



From the following extract from a late number of the York Herald, 

 for which we are indebted to Mr, Jabez Allies, it is not improbable 

 that the Misseltoe was used by the Druids in the rites of sepulture ; 

 an opinion which perhaps derives some support from the passage in 



♦ Matth. Comm. in Diosc. p. 537. f Dryden's iEneid, lib. 6 1.295, &c. 



X Dryden's iEneid, lib. 6 1. 306, &c. II Park. Hebrew Lex. loc. jam cit. 



