LABIATE TKlBE 55 



and adds that Tiirneiserius tells of a hangman Avho M-as usually gentle and 

 pusillanimous, and who never had courage to perform the duties of his 

 ■wretched vocation until he had first prepared himself by masticating this 

 root. The writer of these pages, who, with a friend who joined in the 

 experiment, chewed a piece of this bitter and aromatic substance, of the 

 length of a finger, is able, however, to assure her readers, that for at least 

 four-and-twenty hours after taking it, both she an^ her companion retained 

 a perfect equanimity of temper and feeling. 



2. Ground Ivy (iV. gUchoma). Leaves kidney-shaped, downy, crenate 

 and stalked ; stems creeping ; flowers three together, in the axils of the 

 leaves ; root-stock perennial, and sending out long runners. In early spring, 

 Avhile flowers are few, we are more disposed to be observant of the forms of 

 buds and leaves than in the later season : 



"Though still so early one may spy, 



And mark Spring's footsteps every hour : 

 The daisy with its golden eye, 



And primrose bursting into flower ; 

 And snugly, where the thorny bower 



Keeps off the nipping frost and wind, 

 Excluding all but sun and shower, 



The children early violets find." 



Thus sang Clare of the country aspects of March ; and besides these 

 opening flowers, leaves of various form and hue are daily appearing among 

 the grass. Sometimes even in the first month of the year, the young trailing 

 shoots of the Ground Ivy creep in abundance on the bank among some older 

 ones which have lived through the winter, and we should welcome this early 

 herald of Spring, had we not faith in the proverb — 



" If Janiveer calends be summerly gay. 



Twill be winterly weather till the calends of May ;" 



which, old as it is, is but a version of a AVelsh proverb of higher antiquit}^, 

 and the truth of which experience has confirmed. In March, however, be 

 the spring early or late, we shall be sure to find the Ground Ivy leaves 

 spread open on the sunny bank beside those of the creeping potentilla, and 

 the green and glossy arum leaf. A very pleasant fragrance has our Ground 

 Ivy, besides its slightlj^ bitter and aromatic taste. In olden times the herb 

 was in great request for tea, and we were accustomed in childhood to take 

 it, as it is still occasionally drunk in villages, as a Spring drink. It is 

 popularly believed to be tonic and invigorating, nor are Ave disposed to 

 regard these diet drinks as altogether useless, while Mr. Abernethy could 

 allude to these vegetable preparations in his work on the digestive organs, 

 and consider them to ha^•e great efficacy. John Eay regarded this infusion 

 of the Ground Ivy as good for the head-ache ; and Professor Burnett says, 

 that cases are on record in which it would appear that the plant has been 

 really serviceable in hypochondriacal constitutions, and in mania. A pamphlet 

 was published about twenty years since, stating its good effect in cases of 

 mania ; and we can add from experience, that an infusion of the leaves 

 sweetened with sugar-candy, is an excellent medicine in cases of cough and 

 cold. It is, at any rate, perfectly innocuous, and we can venture to recom- 

 mend persons subject to pulmonary aflections to dry the herb for winter use 



