ST. JOHN'S WORT TRIBE 145 



drank for forty days together, to help sciatica, the falling sickness, and 

 palsy." Indeed, so greatly is the plant eulogised, that it almost rivals in its 

 assumed balsamic effects the wonderful plant in the Field of Balsam, described 

 by Sir John Mandeville, which was an infallible specific for fifty different 

 diseases, though, unfortunately, according to a later traveller, that balsam 

 had perished, " either through carelessness of the gardener, or through fraud 

 of the Jews, or through religion and piety having been offended by people 

 in the neighbourhood." Happily, our flower yet remains, though some of 

 its old uses have died away. 



One of the notions respecting the St. John's Wort in the olden times was, 

 that it had a great etticacy in maniacal cases ; and some old writers on this 

 account gave it the fanciful name of Fuga Dmmonum. This name led to a 

 variety of superstitions, or, as they have been called, " pleasant absurdities," 

 which in course of time became, in various countries, connected with the 

 plant. The fact that this genus of plants had, by the monks, been dedicated 

 to St. John the Baptist, was an additional cause, too, for reverencing them ; 

 and this species was, and still is in some countries, carefully gathered on the 

 eve of the festival of that saint, and with some ceremonies hung about the 

 windows and doorways of houses, as a preservative against evil spirits ; while 

 the Scotch formerly wore it about their persons to protect them from witch- 

 craft and the evil eye, and from the ill designs of spirits ; for many believe 

 with Milton that — 



"Thousands of spiritual creatures walk the earth 

 Unseen, both when we wake, and when we sleep." 



Nor was the practice confined to our northern countrymen; it was observed 

 by the peasants of France and Germany, who, in some remote places, still 

 regard it as a safeguard against thunder. It is known almost everywhere by 

 the name which connects it with the saint. The French not only call it Le 

 Mille-pertuis, from its perforated leaves, or Toidsaine, from its healing virtues, 

 but also know it as VHcrhe de S. Jean. Dos Johannis Kraut is its German 

 name ; and the Dutch call it ^S*;;. Jan's Kruid ; but the Italians term it Fclatro, 

 and the Spaniards Corazoncillo. In Kent, one of the common names of the 

 species is Amber. 



Among the plants which, like the mistletoe, the vervain, and the haw- 

 thorn, stand associated with old English customs, the St. John's Wort 

 holds a conspicuous place. The old practices on Midsummer Eve, the 

 Vigil of St. John the Baptist's Day, gave great occasion for its use, year 

 after year; and as, not in London only, but in other towns, and even in 

 villages, the Midsummer bonfires were lighted, the plant must in those 

 days have been gathered in great quantities. These bonfires were of high 

 antiquity ; and that the practice of lighting them on this day was a 

 remnant of the pagan rites usual on the Festival of the Summer Solstice, 

 several observances used at them abundantly prove. The custom of turn- 

 ing romid a wheel on these occasions is related or hinted at by writers 

 treating of those times ; and the Avheel was designed by the Pagans to signify 

 by its revolution the sun's annual course. In later years it was believed to 

 roll away ill luck from those who used it. In the translation given by 



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