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CULTIVATED VEGETABLES. 



Lord Bacon observes, that "the leaf of 

 the borage hath an excellent spirit, to re- 

 press the fuliginous vapour of dusky melan- 

 choly, and so to cure madness : But never- 

 theless, if the leaf be infused long, it yieldeth 

 forth but a raw substance, of no virtue ; but 

 if the borage stay a small time, and be often 

 changed with fresh, it will make a sovereign 

 drink for melancholy passions." 



There is an old verse on this plant, which 

 says, 



" Ego Borago gaudia semper ago/' 



which has been thus paraphrased : 



" I Borage bring courage." 



Gerard informs us, that in Queen Eliza- 

 beth's time, both the leaves and flowers of 

 this plant were eaten in salad, " to exhila- 

 rate and make the mind glad." There is, says 

 he, also many things made of them ; " vsed 

 euerywhere for the comfort of the heart, for 

 the driuing away of sorrowe, and increasing 

 the joie of the mind. Sirrupe made of 

 the flowers of borage, comforteth the heart, 

 purgeth melancholie, quieteth the phrenticke 

 or lunaticke person. The leaves eaten raw 

 do ingender good bloode, and when boiled 

 in honey and water, they cure hoarseness." 



