FLORAL CUSTOMS, SUPERSTITIONS, AND HISTORIES. 227 



mind. The leaves of the lung- wort are spotted like the animal lungs ; 

 hence its name and the faith in its curative powers in pulmonary com- 

 plaints. The lichen, called oak-lungs, has been so called from the 

 same supposed resemblance to the structure of the lungs. It is re- 

 markable how many plants were included among the remedies for 

 bites of scorpions and snakes in the old treatises on Herbs. The 

 Echium vulgare was formerly known by the name of " viper's bugloss." 

 The spotted stem resembles the skin of a snake, and the seeds are 

 each like a viper's head ; and our forefathers, who looked upon these 

 marks as signs of corresponding virtues, inferred that the plant must 

 prove the best remedy for the bite of a viper. Gerarde says, the sight 

 of the viper's bugloss would drive vipers away from the spot, 

 and the seed of the larkspur had a still more powerful influence. 

 " Its virtues are so forcible, that the herbe only thrown before the 

 scorpion, or any other venomous beast, causeth them to be without 

 force and strength to hurt ; insomuch that they cannot move or stir 

 until the herbe be taken away." In old times it was universally 

 believed that King Solomon had impressed his seal upon a plant, 

 known to botanists as the Convallaria muUiJlora, and hence the plant 

 was called Solomon's Seal ; and of course possessed innumerable vir- 

 tues. From these exalted opinions of the qualities of many plants, 

 have arisen the many strange names by which they are known — as 

 holy herb, honour and praise, Paul's betony, fluellin, scorpion grass, 

 ' palsy wort, saintfoin, holy hay, wicked herb, &c. 



Not the least interesting are those methods resorted to by our an- 

 cestors to keep evil spirits at bay. The mountain ash, or rowan of 

 the rock, was a famous plant for this purpose ; it was planted near to 

 houses, and, together with the admirable plan of nailing a horse-shoe 

 over the door, would certainly preserve the inmates from witches. It 

 is still believed by the Highland peasantry, that a branch of the rowan 

 carried in the hand will defend the bearer from charms of witchcraft- 

 The dairymaid, as she drives her cows to the pasture, carries a branch 

 of this tree to preserve them from danger, for witches are mightily 

 fond of tormenting cows and spoiling the milk ; but verily they turn 

 pale, and tremble from head to foot, when they behold the rowan-tree. 

 Do you know, reader, that at Midsummer-night the witches hold 

 their revelries on the Hartz mountains, and that they come from all 

 parts of the earth to meet together at that festive time ? This is their 



chorus : — 



q2 



