mentioned by Shakspeare. 95 
acquainted with its merits. He was perfectly astonished when 
I told him it could be no other than Comfrey, and he imme- 
diately waved his hat in triumph, shouting ‘‘ Comfrey for 
ever!” 
The second was the daughter of a most respectable book- 
seller, who was confined with a slight sprain in her ancle, from 
dancing. The medical gentlemen were of great eminence 
who attended her; the injury became worse and worse; and, 
after a confinement to her bed of, I believe, eleven months, 
her life was almost despaired of, when permission was obtained 
to apply, at the suggestion of a poor individual, the simple 
leaf of a garden-herb, which was considered as likely to be of 
service. The leaf was applied, and from that moment the 
pain diminished. In a few days the leg was healed up, and 
the young lady completely restored to her health. A small 
specimen of the plant was carefully cultivated in a flowerpot, 
and when I was applied to for its name, I recognised the 
Valeriana Phu. In this manner I think it advisable to make 
inquiries, if opportunities should occur, respecting the Lu- 
narias, or moonworts, and the Alyssums of Dioscorides, Pliny, 
Galen, and Tabermemontanus; comparing them with the cri- 
ticisms of botanists, and the experience of country people. 
I have no doubt that much information would be obtained 
confirmative of the interesting anecdote related by your 
lordship. 
The Mercurialis perennis, or Cynocrambi, called Dog's 
mercury, as is reported, from its virtue having been discovered 
by Hermes, is the plant used in Spain for curing hydrophobia. 
It is here called Bristol-weed, and, from its appearing to 
contain a blue dyeing and cathartic principle, similar in all 
probability to that of oleander and indigo, I suspect it to be 
_ the Glastum, or woad, of our ancestors. Glas is the Welsh 
. word for what is blue and transparent; it occurs seemingly in 
the word Ganderglasses, or Gandergaws; our name for 
3 orchis, the first part of the word Gander, being merely the 
f Greek avnp, and the Latin anser, meaning male, and there- 
fore applicable to the O. mascula and O. morio, the flowers 
of which in pastures appear like gems, constituting a gawdy 
and brilliant enamel, one of the most beautiful in nature. 
The plant Horehound is likewise a remedy for hydrophobia, 
and takes its name accordingly; the first syllable of the word 
being the Greek wpew, euro; and Diascorides attests its effi- 
cacy. ‘The true horehound is therefore the Marrubium 
a, or the Alyssum of Galen. 
e may likewise inquire relative to the Dog-violet, whether 
the Viola canina may not possess this faculty, or the Dentaria, 
