that we shall stand in the same estimation ^\•ith 
future generations, as former generations are now 
regarded by us. 
As a specimen of description adopted by our old 
botanists, we will copy that of the present plant, as 
given by Parldnson, in his “Paradisus Terrestris; 
a garden of all sorts of pleasant flowers, which our 
English ayre will permit to be nourished ^'p.” 
“Dragons riseth out of the ground with a bare 
or naked round whitish stalke, spotted very much 
wdth purplish spots and strakes, bearing at the 
toppe thereof a few green leaues very much diuided 
on all sides, standing v^pon long footestalkes, in the 
middle whereof (if the I'oote be old enough) com- 
meth forth a great long huske or hose, green on the 
outside, and of a darke pui’plish colour on the in- 
side, ^dtli a slender long reddish pestell or clapper 
in the middle : the roote is great, round, flat and 
whitish on the outside, and whiter within, very like 
vnto the routes of Amm, or Wakerobin, and tasting 
somewhat sharj^e like it. The chief vse where- 
unto Dragons is applied, is, that according to an 
old receiued custome and tradition (and not the 
iudgment of any learned Author) the distilled water 
is given with Mithridatum or Treakle, to e.vpell 
noysome and pestilential vapours from the heart.” 
The virtues of this plant seem to be veiy similar 
to those of our native Arum maculatum, or Wake- 
robin, which according to the followers of Dios- 
corides and Galen, are numerous. It grows in any 
soil, is a handsome plant, but should not have too 
prominent a situation, on account of the ill odour 
of its flowers. 
