26 



one of the works which man has done for them, the naming of 

 them, has not been altogether unlovely ; that many of the names 

 •which man has given them, and Englishmen have given in parti- 

 cular, have in them much of interest — I think I am not wrong in 

 adding, much of beauty too. 



Part 2.— Read February 9th, 1870. 



When I had the pleasure of reading to you a paper last year on 

 this subject, I was rash enough to say in my concluding remarks, 

 that though I had got to the end of my tether, I had not by any 

 means exhausted my subject, and I am now called upon to prove 

 my words true, by trying to engage yoiu- attention for a short 

 time, while I tell you something more of the history, etymology, 

 or poetry of the common English names of plants. 



Some of you will recollect that in the remarks which our 

 President then made after the reading of the paper, he kindly 

 filled up some of the vacant places I had left, and especially called 

 your attention to the plant we call Veronica. I cannot do better 

 than act upon his suggestion, and tell you something of the curious 

 history of the names of this plant. The most usual account given 

 is that it is so called from being dedicated to S. Veronica. The 

 legend of this Saint is that as our Lord was on His way to 

 crucifixion, and fainting with His burden, a woman in the crowd 

 tenderly wiped His face with her handkerchief, and that the like- 

 ness of His face being at once impressed on it, and there remaining, 

 she obtained the name of Veronica, or true likeness. I mention 

 the legend because those who derive the name of the plant from 

 the name of the Saint profess to see the likeness of a human face 

 in some of the species. This I have never been able to see myself, 

 but I certainly think it not unlikely that the name was derived 

 from the Saint, and probably from the plant being in flower on the 

 day of her festival (Feb. 19). The name was given in the middle 

 ages, and cannot be traced back further. There are, however, 

 many other derivations for the name. Linnaeus supposed it to 

 come from Vetonica, i.e., the plant of the Vetones, a district of Spain. 



