1859.] REVIEWS. 125 



its teachings ever active agents in his conduct, in all his dealings with his 

 fellow-men; making it, as it aptly might be made, a perpetual memento 

 of all which constitutes tnie charity, true and god-like love ! Were it so, 

 the Sundew had, indeed, not been created in vain ; it had, indeed, done us 

 * true service.' But it has other and more material uses, and to these we 

 must now turn our attention. In former days it was used by thx-ifty 

 dairymaids for the purpose of curdling milk ; for it would appear (I write, 

 however, in perfect ignorance of the fact) — as if the more easily obtained 

 stomach of a calf, which now forms almost the only rennet used, were 

 rather a modern application, so many records are there of the different 

 plants formerly used in this way. The siyidew is acrid and caustic in its 

 nature, and is said to burn away warts and corns ; it was also much valued 

 of yore as a cosmetic, I know not whether from any supposed relationship 

 to the celebrated May-dew, which was once so carefully collected by maidens 

 whose lot was cast perhaps rather in the age of Eoland the Brave than of 

 him of the ' Kalydor.' We must suppose, however, that it was apphed 

 with considerable caution to the faces of these by-gone or would-be beauties, 

 as it is well known to possess blistering qualities ; and in the days of 

 Gerarde it was commonly used as a counter-in'itant. This quaint old 

 author makes the Sundew a vehicle in which to convey a rather sly assertion 

 of the comparative value of theory and practice, telling us that ' the later 

 physitiones have thought it to be a rare and singular remedie for con- 

 sumption;' and adding, 'but the use thereof dothe othermse teache.' I 

 cannot, however, but acknowledge (though I do not enter into the merits 

 of the question) that he is very much to be suspected of judging by pre- 

 conceived generalities, as he immediately weakens his satire by affirming 

 that ' reason showeth the contrarie, being of such a hot and biting natm-e ; ' 

 alluding, I imagine, to the Sundew, and not to reason. 



" This is the plant of which Burton, in his ' Anatomic of Melancholy,' 

 says that ' Bernardus Penottus prefers his Herba Solis before all the rest 

 (of herbs) in this disease (melancholy), and will admit of no lierh upon the 

 earth to be comparable to it. It excells Homer's Moly, cm'es this, faUing 

 sickness, and almost all other infirmities.' 



" The Sundew was formerly much used as a tincture, to obtain which it 

 was distilled with wine, and then spiced and sweetened. In this way a 

 most stimulating spuit was produced ; and the plant is stiU employed in 

 the manufacture of the Italian liqueur called 'rossoU.' Several of the 

 Droseras, which are widely distributed throughout temperate climates, 

 possess dyeing properties, as may be remarked in our own three species, 

 B. angllca, rotundifolia, and longifolia, which not only produce a deep red 

 impression on the back of the sheet of paper on which they are placed in 

 diying, but will communicate it to a thickness of several contiguous sheets ; 

 and for years afterwards will stain fresh ones placed in contact with it." 



