HERBS. 363 
in Canary wine every morning will renew youth, strengthen 
the brain, relieve languishing nature, and prevent baldness.’ 
Or, a Balm wine containing all the virtues of the fragrant, 
restorative herb may be made thus: Into four gallons of water 
put ten pounds of moist sugar; boil for more than an hour, 
skimming thoroughly ; then pour into a crock to cool; place 
a pound and a quarter of Balm tops (bruised) into a small cask 
with a little new yeast, and when the liquor is cool pour it on the 
Balm. Stir them well together, and let the mixture stand for 
twenty-four hours, stirring it frequently; then close it up, 
lightly at first, and more securely after fermentation has quite 
ceased. When it has stood for six or eight weeks, bottle it off, 
putting a lump of sugar into each bottle. Cork the bottle well, 
and keep it for at least a year before putting it into use. Double 
the above quantity may be made at a time if more suitable for 
the requirements. ‘“ Balm,” adds John Evelyn, “is sovereign 
for the brain, strengthening the memory, and powerfully chasing 
away melancholy.” A tea made from the Garden Balm with 
boiling water, and drunk hot, is admirably cordial, and promotes 
free perspiration on an excess of catarrhal cold, or influenza ; 
but against hysterical, or nervous troubles the tea should be 
made with cold water, so as not to dispel the volatile aromatic 
virtues of the herb.. Formerly a spirit of Balm, combined with 
lemon-peel, nutmeg, and angelica root, enjoyed a great restorative 
reputation under the name of Carmelite water, being highly useful 
against nervous headache, and neuralgic affections. It is fabled 
that the Jew Ahasuerus (who refused a cup of water to our 
Saviour on his way to Golgotha, and was therefore doomed to 
wander athirst until Christ should come again) on a Whitsuntide 
evening begged for a draught of small beer at the door of a 
Staffordshire cottager, who was then far advanced in consumptive 
disease of the lungs. He got the drink, and out of gratitude 
advised the sick man to gather from his garden three leaves 
of Balm, and to put them into a mug of beer. This was to be 
repeated as a draught every fourth day throughout twelve days, 
the refilling of the cup to be continued as often as desired, and 
“ then thy disease shall be cured, and thy body shall be altered.” 
So saying, the Jew departed, and was never seen there again. 
But the cottager fulfilled his injunctions, and at the end of 
twelve days had become a sound man. The word Balm is an 
abbreviation of “Balsam,” the chief of sweet-smelling oils. 
