196 
PLANT-LORE OF SHAKESPEARE 
its introduction is of a still earlier date. In the Anglo-Saxon 
“ Leech Book,” of the tenth century, published under the 
direction of the Master of the Rolls, I find this prescription: 
“Pound Lovage and Elder rind and Oleaster, that is, wild 
Olive tree, mix them with some clear ale and give to drink ” 
(book i. c. 37, Cockayne’s translation). As I have never heard 
that the bark of the Olive tree was imported, it is only reason¬ 
able to suppose that the leeches of the day had access to the 
living tree. If this be so, the tree was probably imported by 
the Romans, which they are very likely to have done. But it 
seems very certain that it was in cultivation in England in 
Shakespeare’s time, and he may have seen it growing. 
But in most of the eight passages in which he names the 
Olive, the reference to it is mainly as the recognized emblem 
of peace: and it is in that aspect, and with thoughts of its 
touching Biblical associations that we must always think of the 
Olive. It is the special plant of honour in the Bible, by “whose 
fatness they honour God and man,” linked with the rescue of 
the one family in the ark, and with the rescue of the whole 
family of man in the Mount of Olives. Every passage in which 
it is named in the Bible tells the uniform tale of its usefulness, 
and the emblematical lessons it was employed to teach: but I 
must not dwell on them. Nor need I say how it was equally 
honoured by Greeks and Romans. As a plant which produced 
an abundant and necessary crop of fruit wfith little or no labour 
(< fivTcv/jL axeLpwTov avroTroLov, Sophocles; “non ulla est oleis 
cultura,” Virgil), it was looked upon with special pride, as one 
of the most blessed gifts of the gods, and under the constant 
protection of Minerva, to whom it was thankfully dedicated. 1 
We seldom see the Olive in English gardens, yet it is a good 
evergreen tree to cover a south wall, and having grown it for 
many years, I can say that there is no plant—except, perhaps, 
the Christ’s Thorn—which gives such universal interest to all 
who see it. It is quite hardy, though the winter will often 
destroy the young shoots; but not even the winter of i860 did 
1 See Spenser’s account of the first introduction of the Olive in 
“ Muiopotmos.” 
