MALLOW. 235 



A species of Mallow was used among the Romans as 

 an esculent vegetable. Horace mentions it as one of his 

 ordinary dishes. We are informed that a tree of the Mal- 

 low kind furnishes food to the Egyptians, and the Chinese 

 also use Mallows in their food. A kind of paste, called 

 by the French name of pate de mauve, was prepared from 

 the root, which is thought to be efficacious in allaying the 

 irritation produced by violent coughing; but at present 

 the Mallow is omitted, that the composition may have a 

 fine white colour ; it is therefore now made only of the 

 finest white gum-arabic, the white of eggs, sugar, and 

 orange-flower water. 



The Mallow was formerly planted, with some other 

 flowers, the Asphodel in particular, around the graves of 

 departed friends *. It was probably this circumstance which 

 led to the following reflections, in the epitaph on Bion, 

 by Moschus : 



" Raise, raise the dirge. Muses of Sicily. 

 Alas ! when mallows in the garden die, 

 Green parsley, or the crisp luxuriant dill, 

 They li ve again, and flower another year ; 

 But we, how great soe 'er, or strong, or wise, 

 When once we die, sleep in the senseless earth 

 A long, an endless, unawakeable sleep." 



HUNT'S FOLIAGE. 



* See Asphodel. 



