182 SYLVA FLORIFERA. 



Livonia, found on his way the sacred wood of 

 the Esthonians, where there was a large pine 

 loaded with trophies. He was told that the 

 inhabitants of the country adored this tree ; 

 that women newly delivered brought offerings 

 there, and that the men refreshed its roots 

 with beer. Rubenus wished to cut down this 

 tree, to get rid of so ridiculous a superstition ; 

 but the Esthonians told him, that if he had 

 the temerity to pass under it, both himself 

 and his horse would be taken up in the air. 

 However, Rubenus cured them of this super- 

 stition, without violence to himself or his 

 horse ; and we hope that the present mode of 

 education will not only banish superstition, 

 but also all those cruel and ignorant animo- 

 sities which have, in different ages, so highly 

 disgraced both the catholic and the protestant 

 Christians. 



But to return to the tree whose branches 

 afforded the ancient butchers javelins, as it now 

 furnishes the modern ones with skewers. The 

 Latin name of Cornus, is after the Greek 

 jcpaz/s/a; or from cornu, a horn; because the 

 wood is of a hard and horny nature. The 

 surname of Sanguinea was given to this shrub 

 from the beautiful red colour of its young 

 branches, which shine, during the winter 

 months, as beautifully as conspicuously, when 



