pfaat/ of me ©Y^ircRe/. 95 



flowers gathered, the Enchantress proceeds to weave the magic 

 chaplet, singing the while — 



" I know where the wing'd visions dwell 

 That around the night-bed play ; 

 I know each herb and floweret's bell, 

 Where they hide their wings by day; 

 Then hasten we, maid, 

 To twine our i)raid. 

 To-morrow the dreams and flowers will fade. 



" The image of love, that nightly flies 



To visit the bashful maid ; 

 Steals from the Jasmine flower, that sighs 



Its soul, like her, in the shade. 

 The dream of a future happier hour, 



That alights on misery's brow. 

 Springs out of the silvery Almond flower 



That blooms on a leafless bough. 



" The visions that oft to worldly eyes 



The glitter of mines unfold, 

 Inhabit the mountain herb that dyes 



The tooth of the fawn like gold. 

 The phantom shapes — oh, touch not them ! — 



That appal the murderer's sight. 

 Lurk in the fleshly Mandrake's stem. 



That shrieks when pluck'd at night ! 



" The dream of the injur'd, patient mind, 

 That smiles at the wrongs of men. 

 Is found in the bruis'd and wounded rind 

 Of the Cinnamon, sweetest then. 

 Then hasten we, maid, 

 To twine our braid, 

 To-morrow the dreams and flowers will fade." 



The chief strength of poor witches Hes in the gathering and 

 boiHng of herbs. The most esteemed herbs for their purposes 

 are the Betony-root, Henbane, Mandrake, Deadly Nightshade, 

 Origanum, Antirrhinum, female Phlox, Arum, Red and White 

 Celandine, Millefoil, Horned Poppy, Fern, Adder's-tongue, and 

 ground Ivy. Root of Hemlock, " digged in the dark," slips of Yew, 

 " slivered in the moon's eclipse," Cypress, Wild Fig, Larch, Broom, 

 and Thorn are also associated with Witches and their necromancy. 

 The divining Gall-apple of the Oak, the mystic Mistletoe, the 

 Savin, the Moonwort, the Vervain, and the St. John's Wort are 

 considered magical, and therefore form part of the Witches' 

 pharmacopoeia — to be produced as occasion may require, and their 

 juices infused in the hell-broths, philtres, potions, and baleful 

 draughts prepared for their enemies. Cuckoo-flowers are gathered 

 in the meadows on the first of May. Chervil and Pennyro3'al are 

 used because they both have the effect of making anyone tasting 

 their juices see double. Often many herbs are boiled together — 

 by preference seven or nine. Three kinds of wood make bewitched 

 water boil. Witch-ointments, to be effective, must contain seven 

 herbs. 



