100 SHAKESPEARE'’S [ELDER. 
Elder 
The stinking elder. 
CyYMBELINE, Iv. 2, 59. 
Tue Ellern is a little nesh tree, and beareth flowers and 
fruit twice in one vear, and that fruit is black with horrible 
smell and savour. And this is, therefore, unprofitable to 
eat. And wonder it is to see in Ellern, for if the middle 
rind of the stalk, or of the root, be shaven upward, then 
it purgeth upward, and if it be shaven downward, then it 
purgeth downward. Bartholomew (Berthelet), bk. xvii. § 144. 
THE inner bark of Elder applied to any burning takes 
out the fire immediately. An extract or theriaca may be 
composed of the berries which is not only efficacious greatly 
to assist longevity (so famous is the story of Neander), 
but is a kind of catholicon against all infirmities whatever. 
And yet when I have said all this, I do by no means 
commend the scent of it, which is very noxious to the air. 
A certain house in Spain, seated amongst many Elder-trees, 
diseased and killed almost all the inhabitants, which when 
at last they were grubbed up became a very wholesome 
and healthy place. Evelyn’s “Silva,” bk. i. ch. xx. § 18. 
SHEPHERDS think that pipes made from Elder are more 
sonorous; and it is cut when the shrub cannot hear the 
song of the cock. Its leaves drunk in wine resist the bites 
of serpents. tes : ’ 
r Hortus Sanitatis, bk. i. ch. ccccvi. 
Elephant. 
The elephant hath joints, but none for courtesy. 
Trot.us ano Cressipa, ii, 3, 113. 
TuEse beasts void and flee the mouse. When they be 
sick, they gather good herbs, and ere they use the herbs, 
they heave up the head, and look up toward heaven, and 
pray for help of God in a certain religion. If Elephants 
see a man coming against them, that is out of the way in 
wilderness, for they would not affray him, they will draw 
themself somewhat out of the way, and then they stint 
[wait ], and pass little and little tofore him, and teach 
him the way. And if a dragon come against him, they 
