PLANT-LORE OF SHAKESPEARE 
175 
food to the Arctic explorers when no other food could be 
obtained ; while many dyes are produced from the Lichens, 
especially the Cudbear (a corruption of the name of the 
discoverer, Dr. Cuthbert Gordon), which is the produce of the 
Rock Moss (Lecanora tartarea). So that even to us the 
Mosses have their uses, even if they do not reach the uses that 
they have in North Sweden, where, according to Miss Bremer, 
“the forest, which is the countryman’s workshop, is his store¬ 
house too. With the various Lichens that grow upon the trees 
and rocks, he cures the virulent diseases with which he is 
sometimes afflicted, dyes the articles of clothes which he wears, 
and poisons the noxious and dangerous animals which annoy 
him.” 
As to the beauty of Mosses and Lichens we have only to 
ask any artist, or go into any exhibition of pictures. Their 
great beauty has been so lovingly described by Ruskin 
(“Modern Painters”), that no one can venture to do more 
than quote his description. It is well known to many, but 
none will regret having it called to their remembrance— 
“placuit semel—decies repetita placebit”—space, however, 
will oblige me somewhat to curtail it. “ Meek creatures ! the 
first mercy of the earth, veiling with hushed softness its dent¬ 
less rocks: creatures full of pity, covering with strange and 
tender honour the sacred disgrace of ruin, laying quiet fingers 
on the trembling stones to teach them rest. No words that I 
know of will say what these Mosses are; none are delicate 
enough, none perfect enough, none rich enough. . . . They 
will not be gathered like the flowers for chaplet or love token ; 
but of these the wild bird will make its nest and the wearied 
child its pillow, and as the earth’s first mercy so they are its 
last gift to us. When all other service is vain from plant and 
tree, the soft Mosses and grey Lichens take up their watch by 
the headstone. The woods, the blossoms, the gift-bearing 
Grasses have done their parts for a time, but these do service 
for ever. Trees for the builder’s yard, flowers for the bride’s 
chamber, Corn for the granary, Moss for the grave.” 
