FAMILY HERBAL. 297 



*jnd covered with a brown rough bark ; the smaller 

 branches are reddish, the leaves are oblong and 

 broad ; they stand on long foot stalks, and are of 

 a singular rough surface, and of a reddish colour. 

 The flowers grow on stalks that rise only at that 

 season of the year, and stand up a great deal above 

 the rest of the surface of the plant ; they are large 

 and blue, and arc of the figure of the dead nettle 

 flowers, only they grape vastly more. The whole 

 plant has a pleasant smell. The leaves and tops 

 are used, and they are best fresh ; the common 

 way of taking them is in infusion, or in form j of 

 what is called sage tea, is better than any other : 

 they are a cordial, and good against all diseases of 

 the nerves : they promote perspiration, and throw 

 anv thing out which ought to appear upon the skin. 

 The juice of sage works by urine, and promotes 

 the menses. 



Sage of Virtue. Salvia minor. 



Another shrubby plant, very like the former 

 in its manner of growth, but wanting its red colour. 

 It is a foot or two in height, and very bushy. The 

 stem is woody. The branches are numerous. The 

 leaves are oblong, narrower than in common sage, 

 :md of a whitish green colour : there is often a 

 pair of small leaves at the base of each larger. 

 The flowers grow in the same manner as in the 

 red sage, but they are smaller. The whole plant 

 has a pleasant smell. 



The green tops are used ; and their virtues are 

 much the same with those of the former, but they 

 are less. It got into use from an opinion that the 

 other was too hot, but this was idle. 

 Q q 



