CONFECTIONERY. 197 
add to it some sweet Violets; then let it stand a night, and 
put to it some more Violets, and so stand until it be as deep 
coloured as you wish; then take a spoonful of fine-powdered 
sugar, and wet it with the juice; then hold your spoon over 
a chafing dish of coles, stirring it; smoak, but not boil; take 
it off, and drop it into cakes (or medicated bon-bons).” “I 
want taiblet,” said Wee MacGregor to his father. “ Taiblet!” 
exclaimed his mother ; “‘ Weans that gets taiblet gets ile after.” 
From the flowers of the Sweet Violet (Viola odorata) a conserve 
known as “ Violet sugar,” and dating since the time of Charles 
the Second (when it received the name of “ Violet-plate’’), has 
proved of excellent use in consumption of the lungs. This 
Sweet Violet is well recognized by its fragrant perfume when 
growing in our woods, pastures, and hedge-banks. The odour 
of the petals is lost in drying, but a pleasant syrup is to be 
made from the fresh flowers, which syrup possesses the sweet 
scent of Violets, and which is gently laxative for children. 
These homely blossoms are grown in abundance at Stratford-on- 
Avon (where more appropriately ?) for the purpose of making 
the syrup. Again, the same dark purple flowers give zest and 
beauty to a salad for the table. In Syria a special sugar is 
blended with sweet Violet petals for making Sherbet. The 
Romans brewed an exquisitely-flavoured wine with Violet 
flowers, these being commended for nervous disorders, and 
epilepsy. A chemical principle, “ violin,” is contained in all 
their parts. When the plant is treated with spirit of wine as 
a tincture, this acts beneficially to relieve a spasmodic cough, 
with tight breathing. Napoleon the Great claimed the Sweet 
Violet as his own particular flower, for which reason he was 
often styled ‘‘ Le pére la Violette,” this floral association dating 
from the time of his exile to Elba. The wild Violet, common 
on our banks, and in our pastures, is the familiar Pansy, from 
the French “ Pensée,” “‘ thoughts ;” (as Ophelia said, “ There 
is Pansies: that’s for thoughts”). The Pansy root has proper- 
ties almost identical with those of ipecacuanha, and is often 
used as an efficient substitute for the same by country doctors. 
The whole herb contains chemically “ violin,” resin, mucilage, 
sugar, and the ordinary structural constituents of plants. 
This chemical principle, “ violin,” as contained in the wild 
Pansy, or Violet, resembles “‘ emetin” in action. As long ago 
as in 1653 to make “a poultess for a swelling” the wild Violet 
