INTRODUCTION. xvii 



With Regard to the Virtues of Plants, it h?s 

 been the Cuftom to attribute too many to moft of 

 them : So much is faid more than the Truth on 

 thefe Occafions, that thofe who would be inform- 

 ed, know not what they fhould beHeve. This i* 

 more cautioufly regulated here. The real Virtues 

 alone are fet down^ as they are afilired by Expe- 

 rience : And the Principal of thefe are always fet in 

 the moft confpicuous Light. Perhaps it may be 

 allowed the Author, to fpeak with more Afllirance 

 than others of thefe Things, bccaufe he has been 

 accuflomed to the Pradice of Phyfic in that Way. 

 Very few Things are named here, that he has not 

 feen tried; and if fome are fet down, which other 

 Writers have not named, and fome of which the/ 

 have faid moft, are (lightly mentioned; it is owing 

 to the fime Experience, which has added to theCa- 



I 



for Truth 



fome things, and has found it too g 



Nature has in this Country, and doubtlefs alfa 

 in all others, provided in the Herbs of its own 

 Growth, the Remedies for the feveral Difeafes to 



which It is moft fubjeft-, and although the Addition 

 of what is brought from abroad, fhould not be 

 fuppofed fuperfluous, there is no OccaJQon that ic 

 ihould make the other negleded. This lias been 

 the Confequence of the great Refped fhewn to t>e 

 others ; and befide this, the prefent Ufe of chemical 

 Preparations has almoft driven the whole of gale- 

 nical Medicine out of our Minds. 



To reftore this more fafe, more gentle, and 

 often more gfRcaclous Part of Medicine to its na- 

 tural Credit, has been one great Intent in the 

 writing this Treatife -, and it is the more necefiary 

 for the Service of thofe, who are intended moft 

 to be direfted in this Matter, fince this is i^.uch 

 l^[% dangerous than th^ other : Nay it is hard to 



- a fay. 



