SPEEDWELL. 20* 



plant, which is said to have cured a King of France 

 of the leprosy, saved the nose of a Welsh gentle- 

 man, and given children to a barren wife. 

 Milton very justly observes — 



Dwelt in herbs and drugs a pow'r 

 To avert man's destined hour, 

 liearn'd JMachaon should have' known 

 Doubtless to avert his own. 



Hoffman says^ the generic name of this family of 

 plants was derived from (pepovjxy/v, meaning (pspco, to 

 bring, and vixt^, victory, because it was said to bear 

 the bell among plants. 



Without going into the extreme infatuation of 

 our medical ancestors, it may perhajDs be egually 

 bad to neglect these celebrated plants in modern 

 practice. AVe shall not, however, presume to give 

 more than this hint, because it is generally acknow- 

 ledged that medicine is now advanced to a greater 

 degree of perfection than it ever reached in ancient 

 times. We shall, however, recommend the Brook- 

 lime, Veronica Beccabiinga, to be eaten as water- 

 cresses by those who have a tendency to scorbutic 

 habits. It is even milder and more succulent than 

 the water-cress, and only slightly bitterish in taste. 

 It is generally found growing in rivulets with water- 

 cresses ; the leaves are set on short petioles, blunt, 

 slightly serrate, of a bright green, and somewhat 

 fleshy. The flower-buds are of a reddish tint, but 

 when they arc expanded they arc of a fine blue 



