388 WILD FLOWEES. 



a salad ; but this last was probably for a medicinal 

 purpose, as he complains that even this gave him 

 no sleep. 



It would be superfluous to refer to the medicinal 

 properties of the poppy, which are already so well, 

 and often too well, known in their first effects, 

 though not sufficiently contemplated in their fear- 

 ful after consequences. 



In modern mythology the poppy is dedicated to 

 St. Margaret of Antioch, for 



* * Poppies a sanguine mantle spread 

 For the blood of the dragon St. Margaret shed ;" 



or, as others say, on account of their being, from 

 their sanguine colour, emblematic of martyrdom in 

 general. More anciently they were sacred to Ceres ; 

 doubtless from their constant occurrence in the place 

 in which, of all others, they look most beautiful, 

 namely, amid the golden corn, where they stand in 

 glorious contrast with the celestial blue of the corn- 

 flower. This is, of course, the common and brilliant 

 P. rhceas, with the petals of which the delicate 

 tapestry-bee (Apis papaveris) drapes her cell, and 

 of which William Turner, writing in 1551, says ; 

 "This kind is callid in English corn-rose, or red 

 corn-rose, with us it growith moche amonge the 

 rye and barley;" adding, "it is called Papaver 

 errdticum in Latin in Greek rhceas because the 

 flowre fallith awaie hastilie." "Nature, methinks," 

 says Hooke, " does seem to hint some very notable 

 virtue or excellency in this plant, from the curiosity 

 it has bestowed on it. First, in its flower ; it is 



