ed 
6, 
ist 
1S, 
nd 
by 

235 
RARITY. 
MANDRAKE. 
Tur ancients attributed great virtues to this 
plant; but as they have not left any accurate 
description of it, we are ignorant what species 
they gave that name to. Our charlatans and 
mountebanks, profiting by the ignorance of the 
people, frequently made different roots into the 
form of a little man, which they exhibited to 
the credulous, and sought to persuade them 
that these marvellous roots were the true man- 
drake, which are found only in one quarter of 
China, nearly inaccessible. They added that 
these mandrakes uttered the most lamentable 
cries, ‘closely resembling those of a human being, 
when their leaves were plucked after the night- 
dew had descended; and that whosoever ven- 
tured to do it, was struck by death. 
The phantom forms—oh ! touch not them, 
That appal the murderer’s sight : 
Lurk in the fleshy mandrake’s stem, 
That shriek when torn at night. 
Old medical impostors have told us that the 
proper way to take up the roots of this plant is 
to pass a cord cautiously round it, and then 
attach it to the tail of a dog, which then alone 
bears the judgment due to an action so impious. 





















