PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. 



This edition is largely extended by additional Gaelic, Irish, and 

 Manx names of plants, the greatest care being taken to fix the exact 

 scientific equivalents of the popular plant and flower names. 

 Many more Irish names are added, mainly from Threlkeld's 

 'Synopsis Stirpium Hibernicarum* (1728); also Manx names from 

 list published in 'Yn Lioar Manninagh,' by Messrs. Moore, Quayle, 

 Ralfe, Roeder, etc. ; other names are to be found in the Manx 

 dictionaries, but they are not to be relied on. 



With respect to the etymologies of many of the Gaelic names 

 the author rather suggests than maintains with much tenacity the 

 infallibility of the etymologies given. A book that purposes to 

 deal with the legends and superstitions of plants could not ignore 

 altogether the popular idea of the meaning of the names. Not- 

 withstanding the great results of recent Celtic scholarship, many 

 terms are obscure and impossible of explanation. Dr Murray, of 

 dictionary fame, in a recent speech said that the fact was, we knew 

 very little about etymology and the way in which words had arisen. 

 After the discovery of Sanskrit, it was fondly supposed that Aryan 

 roots existed (if they could be found) for most of our words ; but 

 this does not apply to all English or Gaelic words. 



This book aims at giving in a condensed form as much informa- 

 tion as possible (regarding the subject from a Celtic point of view) 

 of the legends, superstitions, plant lore, uses, medicinal value, and 

 diffusion of the knowledge of simples among the Celtic peasantry. 

 Clan badges have been re-examined and determined with more 

 accuracy. The poetic quotations have been revised and errors 

 corrected, thanks to Mr Henry Whyte (the well-known Fionn of 

 Celtic literature), to whom the author, as well as all Gaelic 

 scholars, is under a deep obligation. 



