The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1860-07-06
Herbal SuperstitiOns.

flowers and herbs Of the fields and trees OF
the forest, was once popular superstition in
England, and had its learned professors
The most popular system, says Chambers
Journal, was intimately connected with as
trolosy. Every plant was supposed to be
under the influence of planet each planet
reigned paramount over certain part of the
human frame, and the herbs under its infu-
ence were supposed to supply the proper
medicine for that portion of the body. An
other method of detecting the virtues of the
plants was by "signature," and was founded
on the idea that "nature has stamped on di-
vers plants lesible characters, to discover
their uses" SO yellow flowers were held the
natural medicine for yellow jaundice, spotted
herbs were distilled for the removal of freck- |:
les, and the tooth-like shape Of benhane seed
was sufficient proof that its juice would cure
the tooth-ache. The medicinal properties
attributed to some plants by the herbalists
are indeed astonishing. "Eye-brisht" wine
will not only enable old people to read with
out spectacles, but has been known to re-
store sight to the blind. Valerian juice
draws iron or wood out of the flesh. Cow
slip water restores beauty and single spoon
full of the juice of the mallow is a preventive
forever from all diseases. Rue renders a
man subtle. quick and inventive-sage
strengthens the memory and rejoices in SO
many virtues that one of its panegyrists asks
"How is it that one who grows sage in his
garden can ever die ?"
Some curious recipes were furnished by
these old herbalists There is one-never in
much demand, We opine-"sood against mer-
rie gals" and another "to kill man in such
sort that he seemed to die laughing" Two
walnuts, two figs and twenty leaves of rue,
beaten together and eaten fasting would pre-
serve against plague or poison for a day
Dogs we are told take grass as an emetic /;
asses when afflicted with melancholy, recover
their spirits by eating milkwaste wild goats
expel arrows from their flesh by eating dita-
ny serpents clear their eyes with fennel and
have such horror of the ash that they will
rather go through fire than pass under its
shade Adderstongue. put in the left ear
of horse will make him fall down as if
dead, but on its removal he will become live
lier than ever while if asses feed much on
hemlock, they fal! SO fast asleep that "some
thinking them to be dead indeed have fayed
off their skins yet after they have done ope.
rating. the beasts have stirred and walked
out of their sleep,to the grief and amazemen,
of their owners and the laughter Of others
Mandrake, that procureth love, in poison
Gus filters mixed bore fearful reputation
1t was said to spring under the gibbet from
the blood of malefactors to resemble the
; human form in shape; and not only to shrek
when pulled out of the ground, but to pun.
ish any man attempting to remove it with
: madness or death, SO that it was customary
to employ dogs for the purpose.
Omens and auguries of the future were al
so found in the vegetable world. If the elm
or peach cast its leaves early, it was though
to prognosticate 4 murrain among the cattle
> the presence of worm in an oak-apple Wa
ominous Of scarcity; fly Of plenty; spide
> of mortality. a fir tree struck by lightning
pretigured its owners speedy death.
Of course love found its tokens in these
odd conceits, the vulgar onion furnishing ON
of them. On St. Agnes's Eve species of
divinatiou was practiced with this unroman
tic root, which is thus described BY an ol,
- verSfier
II Young wanton girls that meet for marriage be
= Do search to know the names of them that shal
their husbands be
! -Four onions. five or eight. they take, and max
in every one
= Such names they do fancy most, and best d
think upon
Thus near the chimney them they set, and tina
= same onion then
That first doth sprout doth surely bear the nam
of their goodman
l. At midsummer eve, courageous maiden
went into the church yard at night, CONNER
cling as the clock struck twelve, to run roun
r. the church, scattering hemp seed, and sing
ing:
~ ''lIempseed SOW,
'e Hempseed hoe;
=" He that is my true love. come after me an
mOw."
Having repeated the crcui: dozen time
on looking behind her, the lady would b.
hold her true love carrying scyth'
~ ~ The rank of prospective bride
~ groom was arrived at by pluckin
the petals Of daisy one by one, while r.
peating the formula, "Rich man, poor mai
" farmer, plowman, thief" the last petal o
course disclosing the important secret
Doubtful swans carried bachelors buttor
in their pockets, if the flowers grew in the
" strange depository, it was sign that succe:
would crown the wooing.
~ SIXTEENTH ANNUAL FAIR