"
A good story is told on Linnaeus in Baring-Gould's "Curious Myths
of the Middle Ages": "When the great botanist was on one of his
voyages, hearing his secretary highly extol the virtues of his
divining-wand, he was willing to convince him of its
insufficiency, and for that purpose concealed a purse of one
hundred ducats under a ranunculus, which grew by itself in a
meadow, and bid the secretary find it if he could. The wand
discovered nothing, and Linnaeus's mark was soon trampled down by
the company present, so that when he went to finish the
experiment by fetching the gold himself, he was utterly at a loss
where to find it. The man with the wand assisted him, and
informed him that it could not lie in the way they were going,
but quite the contrary so they pursued the direction of the wand,
and actually dug out the gold. Linnaeus said that another such
experiment would be sufficient to make a proselyte of him."
Many a well has been dug even in this land of liberty where our
witch-hazel indicated; but here its kindly magic is directed
chiefly through the soothing extract distilled from its juices.
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