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_.