THE PEONT. 



157 



The peony was formerly, however, much celebrated; it 

 drove away tempests, broke enchantments, defeated witch- 

 craft, and now and then cured epilepsy. Its name, pcEonia, 

 came from Poeon, a celebrated physician, who employed it to 

 cure Pluto, when wounded by Hercules. The root of the 

 peony, therefore, was not taken lightly; it was at a certain 

 hour of the night, and during a certain phase of the moon ; 

 and stiU further, it was necessary to take care not to be 

 observed by the woodpecker, whilst digging it ; whoever v/as 

 observed by the woodpecker became blind. 



The peony is no longer anything but a beautiful and 

 splendid flower, despised by amatem-s, and seldom seen but in 

 poor gardens. 



