STUDY XI. 329 



their principal character is referable to the necef- 

 fities of Man. Thus, in order to eftablifh in plants 

 an order (impie and agreeable, inftead of running 



over 



" feverely, faying he was aftonifhed how they dared to apply to 

 " him for a remedy from an evil of which he had fore-warned 

 " them, and which they had obftinately perfifted in bringing upon 

 " themfelves. Not, however, that he intended to with-hold any 

 " afiiftance which might be in his power. On the contrary, he 

 " became extremely uneafy about the means of relieving them : 

 " But where was the poflibility of finding medicine on a road 

 " frequently fubjecled to a failure of the moft common necef- 

 " faries of life ? Providence became our only refuge, and we 

 " were effectually fuccoured in this trying hour. I am going to 

 " relate in what manner. 



" It was my cuftom, on our arrival at the different halting- 

 " places on the road, to go a-walking in the vicinity, and to take 

 '• a view of every thing curious. That day I was fo fortunate as 

 " to bend my courfe to an adjacent meadow. My eye happened 

 " to catch fight of a plant with which I was unacquainted ; 

 " I picked up fome of it's leaves, and put them to my nofe : 

 " they fmellcd of garlic. I handed them to my Phyfician, afking 

 " him if he knew the plant. After having attentively examined 

 " it, he replied that it was the fcordium. He lifted up his hands 

 " to Heaven, and gave thanks to God for the feafonable relief 

 " which He had fent us. He inftantly gathered a conliderable 

 " quantity, put it into a large kettle, and boiled it thoroughly. 

 *' Then, calling for the patients, defired them to take courage, 

 " and, without the lofs of a moment, made them drink copioufly 

 " of the decoftion of that plant, with a flight infufion of the 

 " earth of Lemnos : he then had them well warmed, and put to 

 *' bed, defiling them not to go to fleep till they had fallen into a 

 " profufe perfpiration, with which they exaftly complied. The 



" next 



