a very arbitrary and unjust
classification. Melancholy was evidently regarded as a disease, and a
much-to-be-lamented one. External applications were made to "drive the
worms out of the Brain as well as Dross out of the Stomack." Here is "A
pretious water to revive the Spirits:"

"Take four gallons of strong Ale, five ounces of Aniseeds,
Liquorish scraped half a pound, Sweet Mints, Angelica, Eccony,
Cowslip flowers, Sage & Rosemary Flowers, sweet Marjoram, of each
three handfuls, Palitory of the VVal one handful. After it is
fermented two or three dayes, distil it in a Limbeck, and in the
water infuse one handful of the flowers aforesaid, Cinnamon and
Fennel-seed of each half an ounce, Juniper berries bruised one
dram, red Rosebuds, roasted Apples & dates sliced and stoned, of
each half a pound; distil it again and sweeten it with some
Sugarcandy, and take of Ambergreese, Pearl, Red Coral, Hartshorn
pounded, and leaf Gold, of each half a Dram, put them in a fine
Linnen bag, and hang them by a thread in a Glasse."

Think of taking all that trouble to make something to cheer the spirits,
when the four gallons of strong ale with spices would have fully
answered the purpose, without bothering with the herbs and fruits. I
suppose the gold and jewels were particularly cheering ingredients, and
perhaps entitled the drink to its name of precious water. Indeed, it
would be cheering to the spirits nowadays to have the precious metals
and gems that were so lavishly used in these ancient medicines.

Full jewelled were the works of English persons of quality in the time
of the Merry Monarch and his sire. The gold and gems were not always
hung in bags in the medicines; frequently they were powdered and
dissolved, and formed a large portion of the dose. Like Chaucer's
Doctour, they believed that "gold in phisike is a cordial." Dr.
Gifford's "Amber Pils for Consumption" contained a large quantity of
pearls, white amber, and coral, as did also Lady Kent's powder. Sir
Edward Spencer's eye-salve was rich in powdered pearls. The Bishop of
Worcester's "admirable curing powder" was composed largely of "ten skins
of snakes or adders or Slow worms" mixed with "Magistery of Pearls." The
latter was a common ingredient, and under the head of "Choice Secrets
Made Known" we are told how to manufacture it:

"Dissolve two or three ounces of fine seed Pearl in distill'd
Vinegar,