THE KUE AND THE SAGE. 291 



Bue, for example, of which I have already spoken to you, 

 is a plant which merits all sorts of qpnsideration, according 

 to the learned doctor. In fact, by an uncommou prodigy, it 

 diminishes the force of love in man, and, on the contrary, 

 increases the flame in women. This plant clears both the 

 sight, and the perceptions of the mind, when eaten raw ; but 

 when cooked, it destroys fleas.* 



This I warn you, — and you can make use of rue according 

 to your need: if you fall in love imprudently, and, by a 

 strong effort of your own good sense, or by the advice of 

 sincere friends, you perceive your folly, eat your rue raw; if 

 you are tormented by fleas, boil it. 



Does not this aphorism, put forth in the most serious 

 manner possible, quoted and respected by all old physicians, 

 — (I am not acquainted with the sentiments of the medical 

 world of the present day with regard to the school of Sa- 

 lerno,) — does not this aphorism appear to have been merely 

 translated in a discourse which a writer of the present day 

 puts into the mouth of a charlatan 1 — 



" Buy my specific ; 

 Taken as a liquid it awakens, 

 Taken as a powder it promotes sleep." 



But rue is nothing in comparison with sage. Sage pre- 

 serves the human race,+ and the whole school of Salerno, after 

 a long enumeration of the virtues of sage, seriously exclaims : 

 " How can it happen that a man who has sage in his garden, 

 yet ends by dying ?" { 



The learned body replies to itself by saying : " It is a proof 

 of the necessity of death, which nothing can enable us to 

 avoid." 



I have in my garden sages of various sorts ; one is remark- 

 able for its curious foliage; sometimes one of its notched 

 leaves is painted half rose-colour and green, or rose-colour 

 and white, or green and white. Some leaves are entirely rose- 

 colour, or green, or white. 



Another sage exhibits, at the extremity of its branches, 



* " Cruda comesta .... 



Ruta facit castum, dat lumen et ingeiit astrem, 



Coda et ruta facit de pulicibus loca tuta." 

 t " Salvia salvatrix, naturee conciliatrix." 

 J " Cur moriatur homo cui salvia orescit in horto ? '* 



