HERBS. 361 
development as foods. John Swann, in his Speculum Mundi 
(1643), swore by “herbs, hot, and drie, or herbs moist, and 
cold: herbs of more than ordinairie properties.” 
“Good Lord, how many gaping souls have scap’t 
By th’ aid of herbs, for whom the grave have gap’t. 
Tis not alone their liquor inlie ta’ne, 
That oft defends us from so many a bane, 
But ev’n their savour, yea, their neighbourhood, 
For some diseases, is exceeding good.” 
Valentine, in the Dedication to his Liber Simplicium (Sixteenth 
Century), bore like witness. 
** Herbis, non verbis curo; sincerus in omni 
Curandi methodo, quem mea praxis habet.” 
“By worts, not words, I cure—honest in all my ways.” 
As to certain herbs administered for the relief, or cure of ailments 
due to a deficiency of energies, or physical atoms, on the hypo- 
thesis of such herbs possessing correlative energies, and atoms, it 
must be remembered that a plant to be in perfect usefulness 
must find its elective essential elements in the soil producing it ; 
the amount thereof may be exceedingly small, but that amount 
is all-essential to its health, life, and virtues. The very slightest 
secular changes are the occasion, or causes of the greatest 
operations in nature; and the human body is equally subject 
to parallel laws. The growth of herbs, and plants, is influenced 
by the moon, as well as by the sun. Shakespeare recognized 
this when writing (in Troilus and Cressida) “ As true as steel, 
as plantage to the moon, as sun to day ;”’ which allusion is explained 
in the Discourse of Witchcrajt: “The poor husbandman 
perceiveth that the increase of the moon maketh plants fruitful. 
Nor need the outdoor wayfarer in search of health-giving medica- 
ments be ever dependent altogether on any kitchen garden for 
green stuff, and fruits. The hedgerow, and woodland, the 
cliffside, and riverside, the meadow, and heath, will furnish 
blackberries, hips, _ barberries, dewberries, whortleberries, 
samphire, seakail, wild chicory, sorrel, dandelion leaves, nettles, 
watercress, and, of course, mushrooms, as well as the many 
other edible fungi now neglected through sheer ignorance. 
 Poscas tandem wger: si sanus negligis herbas, 
Esse cibus nequeunt: at medicamenta erun' 
‘In health, if sallet herbs you won’t endure, 
i : i for f or cure.” 
Sick, you'll desire them, or for food, Menten: Uheehisio): 
