202 A GARDEN OF HERBS 



that there is a great deal in these old beliefs. William Coles, 

 in his Art of Simpling (1656), is very scornful of the old 

 herbalists in this matter. " And now I have done with the 

 setting of Plants, give me leave to speak somewhat of the 

 gathering them also : Some of the Antients, and divers 

 Modern writers which have professed Astrology, have noted 

 a Sympathy between the Sunne, Moon, and some principal 

 Starres, and certain Plants, and so they have denominated 

 some Herbes Solar, and some Lunar, and such toyes put 

 into great words. Amongst which Master Culpepper (a 

 man now dead, and therefore I shall speak of him as modestly 

 as I can, for were he alive, I should be more plain with him) 

 was a great stickler ; And he, forsooth, judgeth all men unfit 

 to be Physicians, who are not Artists in Astrology, as if he 

 and some other Figure-Singers, his companions, had been 

 the only Physicians in England, whereas for ought I can 

 gather, either by his Books, or learne from the report of 

 others, he was a man very ignorant in the form of Simples. 

 Many Books indeed he hath tumbled over, and transcribed 

 as much out of them, as he thought would serve his turne 

 (though many times he were therein mistaken), but added 

 very little of his owne. . . . Herbs are more antient than 

 the Sunne, or Moon, or Starres, they being created on the 

 fourth day whereas plants were the third. Thus did God 

 even at first confute the folly of those Astrologers, who goe 

 about to maintain that all vegetables in their growth are 

 enslaved to a necessary and unavoidable dependence on 

 the influences of the Starres. Whereas Plants were, even 

 when Planets were not." 



And now to turn to more practical matters ! Nearly 

 all herbs are at their best when they are going to flower. 

 The young tops and flowers contain more virtues than the 

 older leaves. They should always be picked when the dew 

 has well dried off them, but before the sun is at its hottest. 

 No herbs should ever be dried in the sunlight, as this extracts 

 so much of their virtue. They should be hung in small 

 bunches in a dark, dry place, with paper over them to keep off 

 the dust, and as soon as they are perfectly dry they should 



