grew into a Proverb: Battus having been the Founder of the City Cyrene, near which it only grew. 'Tis indeed conteſted among the Learned Botanoſophiſts, whether this Plant was not the ſame with Laſerpitium, and the Laſer it yields, the odoriferous [45]Benzoin? But doubtleſs had we the true and genuine Silphium (for it appears to have been often ſophiſticated, and a ſpurious ſort brought into Italy) it would ſoon recover its priſtine Reputation, and that it was not celebrated ſo for nothing extraordinary; ſince beſsides its Medicinal Vertue; it was a wonderful Corroborater of the Stomach, a Reſtorer of loſt Appetite, and Maſculine Vigour, &c. and that they made uſe of it almoſt in every thing they eat.
But ſhould we now really tell the World, that this precious Juice is, by many, thought to be no other than the [46]Faetid Aſſa our nicer Sallet-Eaters (who yet beſtow as odious an Epithet on the vulgar Garlick) would cry out upon it as intolerable, and perhaps hardly believe it: But as Ariſtophanes has brought it in, and ſufficiently deſcrib'd it; ſo the Scholiaſt upon the place, puts it out of Controverſy: And that they made uſe both of the Leaves, Stalk, (and Extract eſpecially) as we now do Garlick, and other Hautgouts as nauſeous altogether. In the mean time, Garcius, Bontius, and others, aſſure us, that the Indians at this day univerſally ſauce their Viands with it; and the Bramins (who eat no Fleſh at all) inrich their Sallets, by constantly rubbing the Diſhes with it. Nor are ſome of our own ſkilful Cooks Ingnorant, how to condite and uſe it, with the Applauſe of thoſe, who, ignorant of the Secret, have admir'd the richneſs of the Guſt it has imparted, when it has been ſubſtituted inſtead of all our Cipollati, and other ſeaſonings of that Nature.
And thus have we done with the various Species of all ſuch Eſculents as may properly enter the Compoſition of our Acetaria, and cold Sallet. And if I have briefly touch'd upon their Natures, Degrees, and primary Qualities, which Intend or Remit, as to the Scale of Heat, Cold, Drineſs, Moiſture, &c. (which is to be underſtood according to the different Texture of their component Particles) it has not been without what I thought neceſſary for the Inſtruction of the Gatherer, and Sallet-Dreſſer; how he ought to chooſe, ſort, and mingle his Materials and Ingredients together.
What Care and Circumſpection ſhould attend the choice and collection of Sallet Herbs, has been partly ſhew'd. I can therefore, by no means, approve of that extravagant Fancy of ſome, who tell us, that a Fool is as fit to be the Gatherer of a Sallet as a Wiſer Man. Becauſe, ſay they, one can hardly chooſe amiſs, provided the Plants be green, young, and tender, where-ever they meet with them: But ſad experience ſhews, how many fatal Miſtakes have been committed by thoſe who took the deadly Cicutæ, Hemlocks, Aconits, &c. for Garden Perſley, and Parſneps; the Myrrhis Sylveſtris, or Cow-Weed, for Chaerophilum, (Chervil) Thapſia for Fennel; the wild Chondrilla for Succory; Dogs-Mercury inſtead of Spinach: Papaver Corniculatum Luteum, and horn'd Poppy for Eringo; Oenanthe aquatica for the Paluſtral Apium, and a world more, whoſe dire effects have been many times ſudden Death, and the cause of Mortal Accidents to thoſe who have eaten of them unwittingly: But ſuppoſing ſome of thoſe wild and unknown Plants ſhould not prove ſo deleterious and [47]unwholſome; yet may others of them annoy the Head, Brain, and Genus Nervoſum, weaken the Eyes, offend the Stomach, affect the Liver, torment the Bowels, and diſcover their malignity in dangerous and dreadful Symptoms. And therefore ſuch Plants as are rather Medicinal than Nouriſhing and Refreſhing, are ſtudiouſly to be rejected. So highly neceſſary it is, that what we ſometimes find in old Books concerning Edules of other Countries and Climates (frequently call'd by the Names of ſuch as are wholſome in ours, and among us) miſlead not the unskilful Gatherer; to prevent which we read of divers Popes and Emperors, that had ſometimes Learned Phyſicians for their Maſter-Cooks. I cannot therefore but exceedingly approve of that charitable Advice of Mr. Ray [48](Tranſact. Num. 238.) who thinks it the Intereſt of Mankind, that all Perſons ſhould be caution'd of advent'ring upon unknown Herbs and Plants to their Prejudice: Of ſuch, I ſay, with our excellent [49]Poet (a little chang'd)
Happy from ſuch conceal'd, if ſtill do lie,
Of Roots and Herbs the unwholſome Luxury.
The Illuſtrious and Learned Columna has, by obſerving what [50]Inſects did uſually feed on, make Conjectures of the Nature of the Plants. But I ſhould not ſo readily adventure upon it on that account, as to its wholſomneſs: For tho' indeed one may ſafely eat of a Peach or Abricot, after a Snail has been Taſter, I queſtion whether it might be ſo of all other Fruits and Herbs attack'd by other Inſects: Nor would one conclude, the Hyoſcyamus harmleſs, because the Cimex feeds upon it, as the Learned Dr. Lyſter has diſcover'd. Notice ſhould therefore be taken what Eggs of Inſects are found adhering to the Leaves of Sallet-Herbs, and frequently cleave ſo firmly to them, as not eaſily to be waſh'd off, and ſo not being taken notice of, paſſing for accidental and harmleſs Spots only, may yet produce very ill effects.
Grillus, who according to the Doctrine of Tranſmigration (as Plutarch tells us) had, in his turn, been a Beaſt; diſcourſes how much better he fed, and liv'd, than when he was turn'd to Man again, as knowing then, what Plants were beſt and moſt proper for him: Whilſt Men, Sarcophagiſts (Fleſh-Eaters) in all this time were yet to ſeek. And 'tis indeed very evident, that Cattel, and other πανφαγα,
and herbaceous Animals which feed on Plants, are directed by their Smell, and accordingly make election of their Food: But Men (beſsides the Smell and Taſte) have, or ſhould have, Reaſon, Experience, and the Aids of Natural Philoſophy to be their Guides in this Matter. We have heard of Plants, that (like the Baſilisk) kill and infect by [51]looking on them only; and ſome by the touch. The truth is, there's need of all the Senſes to determine Analogically concerning the Vertues and Properties, even of the Leaves alone of many Edule Plants: The moſt eminent Principles of near the whole Tribe of Sallet Vegetables, inclining rather to Acid and Sowre than to any other quality, eſpecially, Salt, Sweet, or Luſcious. There is therefore Skill and Judgment requir'd, how to ſuit and mingle our Sallet-Ingredients, ſo as may beſt agree with the Conſtitution of the (vulgarly reputed) Humors of thoſe who either ſtand in need of, or affect theſe Refreſhments, and by ſo adjuſting them, that as nothing ſhould be ſuffer'd to domineer, ſo ſhould none of them loſe their genuine Guſt, Savour, or Vertue. To this end,
The Cooler, and moderately refreſhing, ſhould be choſen to extinguiſh Thirſt, attemper the Blood, repreſs Vapours, &c.