HEMLOCKS 125 
and how our well-known tree.came by the’ same name 
I have been unable to ascertain. The second syllable 
“lock ” signifies plant, as it does in the case. of 
Charlock, Garlic, etc., but that leaves unexplained 
the “‘ Hem”; which fact seems to indicate that a 
stitch has been dropped somewhere in the inter- 
weaving of the tree’s history. 
We will ask pardon for a little digression upon the 
Hemlock plant, a subject apart in all but name from 
our main theme, the Hemlock tree. Of whatever 
ingredients the poisonous cup at Athens was com- 
posed, .it seemed at times to somewhat lack the 
quality of either potency or the blessings of quantity. 
It appears that in carrying out these sentences, 
conceived in a laudable spirit of Euthanasian finality, 
one little ungenerous flaw—a flaw which always 
seemed strongly to impress even the most unpromising 
student of scholastic days—had crept into their 
system. 
In a characteristic spirit of economy on the part 
of the democratic Government of the day, the money 
paid over for the dose was calculated upon with such 
an exact degree of nicety that at times, and unless 
everything went well, it barely sufficed to carry out 
the amiable intentions of the promoters and executors 
of the scheme. 
Socrates, whose mission it was to lecture—great. 
Socrates, who adored speaking at all times, and who 
not only adored speaking, but adorned those to whom 
he spoke with a cloak of infinite wisdom, was enjoined 
—even if imperatively, let us Hope at least in tones of 
politeness—by the. performing clown of the gruesome 
scene, at the neurotic moment of his last drink upon 
earth, to keep silence and hold his tongue, and for 
no other substantial reason than that it might retard 
the action of the draught, and thereby involve the 
executioner in an uncalled-for expenditure in the 
