SIMPLES AND SIMPLERS. 215 



tain ancient classifications of medical herbs made on a 

 somewhat arbitrary principle, and dictated by a love of 

 formal arrangement that distinguished the learned of the 

 ]\Iiddle Ages. They knew the " Four Great Carminative 

 Hot Seeds, and the Four Lesser Hot Seeds ; the Four 

 Cold Seeds, and the Four Lesser Cold Seeds ; the Five 

 Opening Eoots, and the Five Lesser Opening Eoots ; the 

 Five Emollient Herbs ; the Five Capillary Herbs ; the 

 Four Sudorific Woods ; the Four Cordial Flowers ; the 

 Four Carminative Flowers, and the Four Eesolvent 

 Meals." Here was a botanical arrangement of plants 

 precisely like that of the Five Orders of Architecture. 

 Though extremely artificial, it was founded on the real 

 or supposed properties of the plants included in it. Its 

 formality suited the taste and assisted the memory of 

 the simplers. They could understand it, and they were 

 proud of their knowledge, because they derived from it 

 an important consideration in their own village. 



There was no danger in trusting one's health to the 

 judgment and mercy of these honest women. They were 

 not guilty, like our modern inventors of patent medicines, 

 of furnishing a powerful drug disguised in a decoction of 

 some popular herb. Their teas, syrups, and fomentations, 

 their lotions, quilts, diet-drinks, and electuaries, were 

 made from the herbs which were specified among their 

 ingredients, and were safe even when injudiciously ap- 

 plied. They dealt in no dangerous remedies ; some were 

 only cordial beverages, some were mild emetics, tonics, 

 and refrigerants, and very many of them were entii'ely 

 inert, but like an amulet soothing to the mind. In the 

 days of our grandmothers, almost every garden contained 

 the herbs of their simple dispensatory ; and every neigh- 

 borhood was graced by a goodly number of housewives 

 who were versed in all details of the administration of 

 them. In these old gardens were mints of every sort. 



