poppy. 59 



The cultivated, or garden poppy, So??mi- 

 ferum, is stated by modern botanists to be a 

 native of England; but of this we must be 

 allowed to doubt, until we find it growing 

 naturally. Gerard says, " These kindes of 

 poppies are sowen in gardens, which do af- 

 terwarde come of the fallings of the seede." 

 Dodoens makes the same remark, and says, 

 " In Apulia and Spain, and other hot coun- 

 tries, they gather the juice, which is the 

 opium." We are disposed to consider it a 

 plant of still warmer countries than either 

 Italy or Greece. The Egyptians were the 

 first who practised the adulteration of opium. 

 This would cause us to suspect that they 

 were the earliest gatherers of this somnife- 

 rous sap. 



We shall forbear farther arguing a point 

 that cannot be proved, and return to history, 

 which informs us, that poppies were culti- 

 vated in the royal gardens of Rome as far 

 back as the period when Tarquin the Proud 

 sat on the throne. This last king of Rome 

 became master of the city of the Gabii by a 

 stratagem that reflects disgrace both on him- 

 self and his son, who was a principal in it. 

 We relate it from its allusion to the plant in 

 question. Sextus, the eldest of Tarquin's 



