THE DOCTRINE OF SIGNATURES 135 



in their remarks. A tincture made from the whole 

 plant, and mixed with rose-water, is one of the 

 finest eye-lotions that can be made. Milton, in 

 his ' Paradise Lost,' describes how the angel 

 Michael touched the eyes of Adam with Euphrasie 

 (the Eyebright) and Rue, to give him clearer 

 vision. 



The popular names of many of the healing 

 Herbs explain what was believed to be their 

 different characters, such as Clary, or Clear-eyes ; 

 Prunella, or Self-heal ; Heart's-ease ; Pulmonaria, or 

 Lungwort ; Woundwort or Bruisewort ; Feverfew ; 

 Gout-weed ; Whitlow-grass, or Nailwort ; Stitch- 

 wort (for a stitch in the side) ; and many others 

 that will occur to any who are familiar with the 

 names of the common plants of the country-side. 

 The acrid Buttercup, the wild Pansy of the field, 

 and the Sundew from the marsh, all had their uses, 

 and would often act in double fashion, either to 

 cause or cure particular ailments. 



The doctrine of Signatures, as it was caUed, was 

 firmly beheved in by the old HerbaUsts. The idea 

 was that, by the mercy of God, many of the Herbs 

 that He made for the service of man were stamped, 

 as it were, or signed with their characters, so that 

 they could be read at a glance. Viper's Bugloss, 



