ALOE. 7 



the Aloe far surpassed its beauty, and to rank it, as a ve- 

 getable, with the camel and the elephant in animal life. 

 Like the larger animals, it is confined to hot, or compa- 

 ratively uncivilised countries. Its appearance, which re- 

 sembles a collection of huge leathern claws, armed with 

 prickles, is very formidable ; and even the smaller species 

 have a sort of monstrosity of size in their parts, though 

 small as a whole. But notwithstanding the extraordinary 

 utility of the Aloe, those who have seen it in its native 

 country, and in full flower, describe it as scarcely less re- 

 markable for elegance and beauty. The larger and more 

 useful kinds appear to be also the most beautiful. Rous- 

 seau uses the epithet beautiful, in speaking of the great 

 American Aloe, or Agave. 



" Nature seems to have treated the Africans and Asiatics 

 as barbarians," says St. Pierre, in speaking of the Aloe, "in 

 having given them these at once magnificent, yet monstrous 

 vegetables ; and to have dealt with us as beings capable of 

 sensibility and society. Oh, when shall I breathe the perfume 

 of the honeysuckle ? again repose myself upon a carpet of 

 milk-weed, saffron, and blue-bells, the food of our lowing 

 herds ? and once more hear Aurora welcomed with the 

 songs of the labourer, blessed with freedom and content*?" 



The kind chiefly used in medicine is the Barbadoes Aloe, 

 the preparations from which are eminent for the nauseous- 

 ness of their bitter. " As bitter as aloes," is a proverbial 

 phrase. It is a common practice with our fair countrywo- 

 men to avail themselves of this bitterness in the Aloe, when 

 weaning their children ; applying it to the bosom to induce 

 them to refuse it ; but this is surely a more objectionable 

 deceit than that by which they are allured to swallow nau- 

 seous drugs. 



* St. Pierre's Voyage to the Isle of France. 



