206 OUK ROCK-GARDEN 



more especially in the neighbourhood of villages, 

 and it also grows freely sometimes around old 

 ruins. It was in Gerard's time very abundant at 

 Highgate and other localities around London. It 

 is, we remember, found profusely, for example, 

 around Furness Abbey. In such cases it is 

 probably a survival from the monkish herb- 

 gardens of mediaeval days. The plant grows 

 bushily to a height of some four feet, and when 

 thickly covered with its large black berries is 

 a very noticeable and conspicuous plant. 



Botanically the dwale is the Atropa Belladonna. 

 The generic name is derived from Atropos, the 

 Fate whose mission it was, according to classic 

 mythology, to sever the thread of life a sufficiently 

 marked reference to the deadly properties of the 

 plant. The specific name signifies beautiful woman, 

 and alludes to the mediaeval use of the plant in the 

 preparation of a cosmetic, while the old English 

 word " dwale" signifies trance or torpor. Another 

 old name for the plant is the great morel, from 

 the Italian morello, the diminutive form of Moro, 

 a Moor, in allusion to its large black berries. 



and the vse of it also, being a plant so furious and deadly. 

 Banish therefore these pernitioii^ plants out of your gardens 

 and all places neere to your houses where children do resort, 

 which do oftentimes long and lust after things most vile and 

 filthie, and much more a berry of a bright shining black 

 colour and of such great beautie." GERARD. 



