






92 ENCHANTMENT; 
mids of Egypt shall one day disappear, buried, 
like the sphinx; in the sands of the desert; 
but the lotus and the acanthus shall ever 
flower upon the banks of the Nile, the mis- 
tletoe will always flourish upon the oak, and 
the vervain upon the barren knolls. 
Vervain was used by the ancients for divers 
kinds of divinations ; they attributed to it a thou- 
sand properties; among others, that of recon- 
ciling enemies; and when the Roman heralds 
at arms were despatched with a message of 
peace or war to other nations, they wore a wreath. 
of vervain. Drayton alludes to this custom : 
A wreath of vervain heralds wear, 
Amongst our garlands named, 
Being sent that dreadful news to bear, 
Offensive war proclaimed. 
The Druids held this plant in great vene- 
ration, and, before gathering it, they made a 
sacrifice to the earth. Probably they used it 
for food; and Dryden thus mentions it :— 
Some scattering pot-herbs here and there he found, 
Which, cultivated with his daily care, 
And bruised with vervain, were his daily fare. 
Weare told that the worshippers of the sun, 
in performing their services, held branches of 
vervain in theirhands. Venus Victorious wore 
