RULES FOR GATHERING AND PRESERVING HERBS, &c. 



47 



the single flowers, he would see they were also alike : and 

 hence he would discover that it was of this kind ; and 

 he would rightly judge that the Hollyhock also possessed 

 the same virtues. 



There is this great use in examining other plants which 

 have the same sort of flowers and fruits with those which 

 we know to have virtues, that we may in this way discover 

 plants at home, to supply the place of those we have from 

 other countries. It is certain the sun in warmer climates 

 does ripen the juices of vegetables faster than in ours, but 

 yet we find the plants of the same kind, from whatever part 

 of the world they come, to possess nearly the same kind of 

 virtues ; generally indeed they are the same, only differing 

 in degree. Thus all the Mallows of Spain and Italy, to 

 bring the trial to the before-named instance, possess the 

 same virtues with the Marshmallow, Mallow, and Holly- 

 hock of England 1 ; and the case is the same with those 

 which are truly Mallows of the East and West Indies ; 

 though this does not hold good with respect to some of the 

 plants of those countries which have been brought hither 

 under that name. Thus the Senega Rattle-snake root, 

 which was once much in use amongst us, has been dis- 

 covered to belong to a kind of Milkwort, or Polygala, The 

 roots of the common Milkwort of our pastures being tried 

 have been found to possess the same virtues, though in a 

 less degree. This plant would not have been regarded, if 

 the other had not been found to be of the same kind ; but 

 to that we owe the knowledge of its virtues. 



There is this great reason for seeking in our own climate, 

 plants of the same nature, form, and kind, with those which 

 in other countries, afford us remedies that they are gene- 

 rally of the same kind, and may be fitter for our con- 

 stitutions ; for as it has been before observed, the produc- 

 tions of each respective country, are always best suited 

 to supply the wants of its inhabitants both for food and 

 medicine : and it is certain, that as the sun ripens the 

 juices of plants in hotter countries to more virtue than with 

 us, so it makes men's constitutions more able to bear their 

 effects. 



The Chinese will swallow such doses as would poison one 

 of us. This we know in many instances, and it ought to 

 encourage us in the present research : because, if the same 

 doses which agree with them are too much for us, we may 

 also find that other medicines of our own growth, and of 

 the same kind of virtues, though in a less degree, may also 

 be found to agree better with our constitutions. Therefore, 

 notwithstanding that it may be necessary in some cases, and 

 convenient in many, for us to have drugs from abroad, yet 

 in general it will be better for us to be cured by those 

 herbs we may find at home; and they will be found upon 

 trial more sufficient for that purpose than we at present 

 imagine. The means are at hand, but we have made very lit- 

 tle use of them, proportioned to their number and their value. 



The observation already made, that the external form of 

 plants may very well give the hint for a conjecture about 



their virtues, is much more general than might be imagined. 

 Almost all the plants of the same kinds are of the same vir- 

 tues. But that is not all ; for, in general, those of the 

 same class possess the same qualities, though different in 

 degree : anu this is a great help to him who shall set out 

 upon the generous and useful plan of adding to the number 

 of the useful plants. It is also singular, that what might 

 appear objections in this case, being brought to the trial, 

 will often be found confirmations of the truth there is in 

 the observation. 



Thus, suppose a man, observing that Lettuce is eatable, 

 should inquire into all the plants like Lettuce, which are 

 those that have flowers composed of many parts, and have 

 the seeds winged with a white downy matter, to find whe- 

 ther they were eatable : let us examine how he would suc- 

 ceed. The plants of this class native of England, are the 

 Sowthistle, the Hawkweeds, the Dandelions, Goats-beards, 

 Succory, and Endive, all eatables. The Hawkweeds are 

 less agreeable in the taste, but wholesome ; and as to the 

 wild Lettuces, those who would bring the opiate quality 

 of the principal of them as an objection, strengthen the ob- 

 servation, for the garden Lettuce also has an opiate qua- 

 lity. This wild one possesses it in a greater degree, but 

 still in such a degree, that it is an excellent medicine, not 

 at all dangerous. Its bitter taste would prevent people's 

 eating it, for it is disagreeable ; but its virtues are the same 

 with those of Lettuce, only greater. There are some kinds 

 of Hawkweed also, which have a bitter milky juice, alto- 

 gether like that of thi Lettuce ; and they also have the- 

 same opiate quality. 



This general observation may be carried a great deal far- 

 ther. In general, the seeds of umbelliferous plants, that is, 

 those which have little flowers in rounded clusters, each suc- 

 ceeded by two seeds, are good against colics; those of Carra- 

 way, Anise, Cummin,. Coriander, and all of that kind, are 

 produced by plants of this figure. In the same manner the 

 verticillate plants, as they are called, that is, those which 

 have the flowers surrounding the stalks, as in Mint and 

 Thyme, are of a warm nature ; and however they differ in 

 degree and circumstance, they have the same general vir- 

 tues. Farther, such plants as are insipid to the taste and 

 smell, have generally little virtues ; and, on the contrary, 

 those which have the most fragrant smell and sharpest taste, 

 have the greatest virtues, of whatever kind. 



In general also, those plants which have a strong but an 

 agreeable taste, are most worthy to be examined with re- 

 spect to their virtues ; for they are generally the most valu- 

 able : and, on the contrary, when a very strong taste is 

 also a very disagreeable one ; or, in the same manner, when 

 the strong smell of a plant has also something heavy, dis- 

 agreeable, and overpowering in it : there is mischief in the 

 herb, rather than any useful quality. The poisonous plants 

 of this country are very few; but they are for the most part 

 characterized after this manner : so that they are known as 

 it were at sight, or by the first offer of a trial. 



