\'ERVAIN. 173 



and practised the art of making salves and oint- 

 ments of vegetables, for which they had great 

 renown even at Rome, to which city they exported 

 the Vervain, and it was hence called Brltannica. 



Although so many ages have passed away since 

 the Druids and their pretended spells have been 

 abolished, yet we frequently meet with lingering 

 sparks of their imagined light amongst the vul- 

 gar, who upon every occasion cHng to super- 

 stition as eagerly as the intimidated infant clings 

 to the breast of a fond mother. 



Madame de Latour tells us that the shepherds 

 in the northern provinces of France, still continue 

 to gather the Vervain under different faces of the 

 moon, using certain mysterious ejaculations known 

 only to themselves, whilst in the act of collecting 

 this herb, by whose assistance they attempt to 

 cure not only their fellow-servants but their mas- 

 ters also, of various complaints, and they profess 

 to charm both the ftocks and the rural belles wdth 

 this plant. 



The Germans to this day present a hat of 

 Vervain to the new-married bride, as if to put 

 her under the protection of Venus victorious, 

 which is evidently the remains of ancient cus- 

 toms. 



Vervain is now very properly made the em- 

 blem of superstition. 



