PREFACE. vii 



nave given themselves any trouble about their 

 virtues ; when physic is becoming entirely chyrui- 

 cal, and a thousand lives are thrown away daily 

 by these medicines, which might be saved by a 

 better practice ; it appeared a useful undertaking, 

 to separate the necessary from the frivolous know- 

 ledge ; and to lay before those who are inclined 

 to do good to their distressed fellow-creatures, all 

 that it is necessary for them to know of botany for 

 that purpose, and that in the most familiar man- 

 ner ; and to add to this, what experience has con- 

 firmed of the many things written by others con- 

 cerning their virtues. This is the intent of the fol- 

 lowing work. 



The plants are arranged according to the English 

 alphabet, that the English reader may know where 

 to find them : they are called by one name only in 

 English, and one in Latin ; and these are their 

 most familiar names in those languages ; no matter 

 what Caspar, or John Bauhine, or Linnjeus 

 call them, they are here set down by those names 

 by which every one speaks of them in English ; 

 and the Latin name is added, under which they will 

 be found in every dictionary. To this is subjoined 

 a general description of the plant, if it be a com- 

 mon one, in a line or two ; that those who already 

 know it, may turn at once to the uses ; and for 

 such as do not, a farther and more particular 

 account is added. Last come the virtues, as they 

 are confirmed by practice : and all this is delivered 

 in such words as are common, and to be understood 

 by all. 



Every thing that is superfluous is omitted, that 

 the useful part may remain upon the memory : 

 and to all this is prefixed, in a large introduc- 

 tion, whatsoever can be necessary to compleat the 

 good intentions of the charitable in this way. 



