150 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



the Soottisli HigWanders, and forms the badge of the McKiunon clan to this day. 

 Other powers were also attributed to the St. John's Wort than those already described ; 

 and there is a sujierstition in Lower Saxony, that if the jjlant be gathered on Mid- 

 summer night by the maidens of a district, and hung up in their bedchambers, the 

 fresh or withered appearance of the plant in the morning will show whether they are 

 to become brides in the ensuing year. We cannot refrain from quoting some lines, 

 translated from the German, relating to this custom, which resembles the practices on 

 Hallow E'en in Scotland ; — 



" The young maid stole through the cottage door. 

 And blushed as she sought the plant of power. 

 ' Thou silver glow-worm, oh ! lend me thy light, 

 I must gather the mystic St. John's Wort to-night ; 

 The wonderful herb whose leaf will decide 

 If the coming year shall see me a bride.' 



And the glow-worm came, 



With its silvery flame. 



And sparkled and shone 



Through the night of St. John, 

 And soon has the young maid her love-kuot tied. 



With noiseless tread 



To her chamber she sped, 



AVhere the sj)ectral moon her white Ijcanis shed. 

 ' Bloom here, bloom here, thou ])lant of power, 

 To deck the young maid in her bridal hour.' 

 I)Ut it droop'd its head, that plant of power. 

 And died the mute death of the voiceless flower ; 

 And a wither'd wreath on the ground it lay, 

 More meet for a burial than bridal day. 

 And when a year was pass'd away, 

 All pale on her bier the young maid lay. 



And the glow-worm came. 



With its silvery flame, 



And sparkled and shone 



Through the night of St. John, 

 As they closed the cold grave o'er the maid's cold clay." 



There are other superstitions connected with the Eve of St. John, all of which are 

 more or less associated with the vegetable world,- — such as throwing a garland on a 

 stream, in order to ascertain whether the maker will be successful in love ; or seeking 

 for the seed of the fern, which it was believed could only be secured on this night, and 

 would, when possessed, render the wearer invisible : — 



"I have the recipe of fearn seed; 

 I walk invisible." 



Although the belief in the supernatural powers of the St. John's Wort has disa|)- 

 peared with tliat in the beings over whom it was supposed to exert an influence, and 

 although its medicinal virtues are in a great measure imaginary, it has yet some claim 

 to be considered a useful jilant, from tiie red or yellow dye yielded by its flower-buds 

 and young shoots. Steejied in water or alcohol, the buds give out a line blood-red 



