"294 FLORA HISTORICA. 



CYCLAMEN, or SOW-BREAD. Cyclamen. 



Natural Order Precice. Lysimachice, Juss. A Genus 

 of the Pentandria Mojwgynia Class. 



With superstitions and traditions taint. 



Milton. 



This plant was formerly regarded as a powerful 

 assistant by the midwives, and it was recommended 

 to them by the surgeons of the day. Gerard tells 

 us that he had these plants growing in his garden, 

 but for fear any matrons should accidentally step 

 over them, and by this means bring on abortion, 

 he stuck a fence of sticks round the roots, and laid 

 others crossways over them, " lest any woman 

 should by lamentable experiment finde my words 

 to be true, by their stepping ouer the same." 



A rev'rent fear, such superstition reign3 

 Among the rude, ev'n then possess'd the swains. 



We cannot be surprised that such superstitious 

 notions respecting plants should be found amongst 

 the vulgar of those times, when we find men 

 of learning like Gerard possessed with the same 

 ideas, for to him we may justly apply the lines of 

 Chaucer, — 



