Page:A Collection of Several Philosophical Writings of Dr. Henry More.djvu/99

 Rh And the decoction of Quinces, which area downy and hairy fruit is accounted good for the fetching again Hair that has fallen by the French Pox.

The leaf of Balm, and of Alleluia or Wood-Sorrel, as also the Roots of Anthora, represent the Heart in figure, and are Cardiacal.

Wall-nuts bear the whole signature of the Head. The outward green Cortex answers to the Pericranium, and a salt made of it is singularly good for wounds in that part; as the kernel is good for the Brains, which it resembles.

Umbilicus Veneris is powerful to provoke Lust, as Dioscorides affirms. As also your several sorts of Satyrions, which have the evident resemblance of the genital parts upon them; * Aron especially, and all your Orchisses, that they have given names unto from some beasts or other, as Cynosorchis, Orchis Myodes, Tragorchis, and the like. The last whereof, notorious also for its goatish smell, and tufts not unlike the beard of that lecherous Animal, is of all the rest the most powerful Incentive to Lust.

The leaves of Hypericon are very thick prick'd, or [wikt:pink|pink'd]] with little holes, and it is a singular good wound-herb, as useful also for de-obstructing the pores of the body.

Scorpioides, Echium, or Scorpion-grass, is like the crooked tail of a Scorpion, and Ophioglossum, or Adders-tongue, has a very plain and perfect resemblance of the tongue of a Serpent, as also Ophioscorodon of the intire head and upper parts of the body; and these are all held very good against Poison, and the biting of Serpents. And generally all such Plants as are speckled with spots like the skins of Vipers or other venemous creatures, are known to be good against the stings or bitings of them, and are powerful Antidotes against Poison.

Thus did Divine Providence by natural Hieroglyphicks read short Physick-Lectures to the rude wit of man, that being a little entred and engaged, he might by his own industry and endeavours search out the rest himself; it being very reasonable that other Herbs that had not such Signatures might be very good for Medicinal uses, as well as they that had.

5. But if any here object, that some Herbs have the resemblance of such things as cannot in any likelihood refer to Physick, as Geranium, Cruciata, Bursa Pastoris, the Bee-Flower, Fly-Orchis, and the like, I say, they answer themselves in the very proposal of their Objection: for this is a sign that they were intended onely for ludicrous ornaments of Nature, like the flourishes about a great Letter, that signifie nothing, but are made onely to delight the Eye. And 'tis so far from being any inconvenience to our first Progenitors, if this intimation of Signatures did fail, that it cast them with more courage upon attempting the virtue of those that had no such Signatures at all; it being obvious for them to reason thus. Why may not those Herbs have Medicinal virtue in them that have no Signatures, as well as they that have Signatures have no virtue answerable to the signs they bear, which was a further confirmation to them of the former Conclusion; and still a greater provocation of their Rh