268

A DISCOURSE

book i. on it, but as long as the tree itself lasted; to which the people went~ in pilgrimage, plucking and bearing away branches of it, as an holy

relique, whilst there remained any of the trunk; persuading themselves, thatthose small fine veins and filaments (resembling hairs between the barkand the body of the tree) were the hairs of the virgin: But what is yetstranger, the resort to this place, (then called Houton, a despicablevillage,) occasioned the building of the now famous town of Halifax,in Yorkshire , which imports Holy Hair. By this, and the like, may weestimate what a world of impostures have, through craft and superstition,gained the repute of holy places, abounding with rich oblations (theirDevotas). Pliny speaks of an old Lotus tree in a grove near Rome^upon which the Vestals (as our Nuns ) were used to hang their hair cutoff at their profefsion. Lib. xvi. cap. xlvi.

I may not in the mean time omit what has been said of the true Taxusof the antients, for being a mortiferous plant. Dr. Belluccio, Presidentof the Medical Garden at Pisa in Tuscany , (where they have this curiosity,)affirms, that when his gardeners clip it, as sometimes they do, they arenot able to work above half an hour at a time, it makes their headsso ache. The leaves of this tree- are more like the Fir; it is very bushy,and furnished with leaves from the very root, seeming rather an hedgethan a tree, though it grows very tall.

person, as a powerful remedy for that disorder. The dried leaves were first employed; anda spoonful of them, mixed with brown sugar, was divided into three equal doses, whichthe children took at seven- o’clock in the evening. At eight they had each a mefs ofpottage, prepared of butter-milk, which, having been kept several days, was become verysour. No complaints were made by the children; nor did any bad effects ensue. Twodays afterwards the mother collected fresh leaves , and administered them in the same dose,as before, and at the same hour. At eight o’clock the children breakfasted on nettle-pottage, that is, oatmeal gruel with fresh nettles boiled in it, a mefs well known in this,country. At nine, they began to be uneasy; were chilly and listlefs ; yawned much ; andfrequently stretched out their limbs. The oldest vomited a little, and complained ofgripings in his belly; but the others exprefsed no signs of pains. The second child diedat ten o’clock ; the youngest about one; and the oldest at three in the afternoon. Noagonies accompanied their difsolution; no swelling of the abdomen ensued; and afterdeath they had the appearance of being in a placid sleep. These particulars I learnedfrom the unfortunate parents of the children, whose ignorance led them loo long, and toofatally, to rely on the trifling and inefficacious means of relief) 'suggested to them hy theirneighbours.” Vol. iii.