BABTSIA EYEBBIGHT. 215 



for those two flowers, and I had rather get my feet wet than 

 not have them." " Stand by," said the first speaker, " and this 

 young chap '11 get 'em for yer ; his shoas are mair likely for 

 such an a bog as that than yours." The young man did 

 gather the flowers for me, and replied to my thanks with a 

 short nod, and the words, " Ye're welcome." Yet many per- 

 sons have a great dread of these miners, and account them 

 as savages. True, they do not deal in flattering titles ; they 

 tell you that " the parson's a tidy large chap," and the squire's 

 lady is a " real nice woman." But they have honest kindly 

 hearts, and you might wander alone for fifty miles, and never 

 meet with rudeness. 



Now look at the Bartsia family. This little dingy plant with 

 the one-sided spikes of dull lilac flowers is the Red Bartsia. 

 It has lance-shaped serrated leaves, and a square stem, growing 

 about a span high. There is a red tinge over the whole plant. 



I have the Viscid Bartsia (Bartsia viscosa), a much prettier 

 plant. It has larger leaves of a delicate green, and yellow 

 flowers growing from the axils. The whole plant is sticky, 

 and strongly scented: indeed, its general aspect and odour 

 closely resemble the Musk plant. Fanny brought the specimen 

 from Marazion Marsh. 



There is an Alpine Bartsia with somewhat the same habit, 

 and red flowers ; but I have not seen it. 



The family of the pretty little Eyebright comes next. Our 

 one British member of it is a cheerful little plant, growing 

 freely among the scanty herbage of downs and hilly pastures. 

 The flowers spring from the axils of the leaves, which are 

 ovate, furrowed, and sharply toothed. The corolla is white, 

 variegated with yellow and purple. Old herbalists speak of 

 the plant as a remedy for diseases of the eye, and Milton 

 evinces a similar conviction when describing the Archangel's 

 interview with Adam : 



" Then purged with Euphrasy and Rue 

 The visual nerve, for he had much to see." 



