Foreign Vegetables. 159 
the End ^iij. of Sena. Let them infufe toge- 
ther warm for one or two Hours ; then ftrain 
and give a Glafsful of the Liquor every now 
and then. This is a gentle purging Medi- 
cine and not unpleafant to take *. 
Ar t ^c. II. 0 / Figs. 
Ficus feu Caries Off. ct Ko^tx&i, 
Gr<ecor. Thefe are ripe Figs dried in the Sun. In 
the Shops we meet with three Sorts (viz.) 1. The 
large yellow Figs, which are called Ficus pingues. 
2. The large Violet-Figs. 3. The fmall Figs, 
which are brought from Marseilles , and are much 
Tweeter than the others. The beft are foft, and 
gentle in the handling, heavy, with a thin foft 
coat, full of Juice and yellow Seed, and tailing 
like Honey. On the contrary, when they are hard, 
1 
* We muft here obferve, that inftead of the Raifins above- 
mentioned, in England, we make ufe of two Sorts which are 
imported from Spain (viz.) the Unite paffte majores , or Raifins of 
the Sun, and the Unite pajfte Malacenfes, or Malaga Raifins. 
The firfi: are dried upon the Tree with the Sun, in the fame 
Manner as the raptAod of the ancient Greeks , and 
the laft are cured like thofe of Montpelier. Thefe in general 
have the fame Virtues with the Raifins we have been fpeaking 
of ; yet in particular Circumfiances one Sort may be preferable 
to the other ; as Dr. Quincy judicioufly remarks in his Difpen- 
fatory, p. 555. “ As to Raifins, fays he, take this Rule in 
44 general, that in all cathartick or detergent Compofitions, 
“ thofe which the Grocers fell by the Name of Raijtns of the 
“ Sun , are moft proper ; becaufe they are fharp, and attenu- 
“ ating: But in all Pectorals and Vulneraries, the Malaga 
44 Raifins are much to be preferred ; they being more fat, foft 
44 and emollient. Which by the Way is a Difference very few 
4 ‘ attend to, to the great Detriment of many a good Prefcrip-. 
44 tion.” 
The Currants which are taken Notice of above, are the 
fame that are ufed in our Shops by the Name of Umapaffec 
minor es, feu pa fid a Corinthiac * 
ful! 
