SAVORY. '21] 



'* The verdant lavender must there abound, 

 There savory shed its pleasant sweets around." 



These plants are said to have been first 

 cultivated in this country in the year 1562 ; 

 but from the manner in which Gerard no- 

 tices them in 1597, we are disposed to think 

 that the introduction was much earlier. 

 Indeed, it can scarcely be doubted, that 

 this and many other Italian herbs, which 

 familiar use had made almost necessary to 

 the Romans, were cultivated here during 

 their residence in Britain, as we cannot sup- 

 pose that men so well acquainted with hor- 

 ticulture, and the value of plants, would ne- 

 glect planting useful herbs in the vicinity of 

 the villas, the floors of which they tesselated 

 with so much ingenuity and care. 



Savory was used by the Romans in acid 

 sauce, or as a kind of spice to give warmth to 

 lettuce, and other cool salads; and it was 

 certainly a more rational way of taking this 

 hot acrid herb, than the present method 

 of using it, to give heat to our already too 

 inflammatory dishes. Dodoens says, savory, 

 in its operations, resembles thyme, and is 

 very good, and necessary to be used in 

 meats. It was usual for the ancients to dip 

 their animal food in vinegar, flavoured with 



p 2 



