Borage
There is an old rhyme, Ego borago gaudia semper ago, which has been freely translated-" I borage bring courage." It had a wonderful repute for cheering Bordeaux the heart of man, and was accordingly ranked among the four cordial flowers-that is, flowers which acted upon the heart and made it merry. The four flowers were alkanet, borage, roses and violets. This is what Lord Bacon says of it: "The leaf of the borage hath an excellent spirit to repress the fuliginous vapours of dusky melancholy and so to cure madness.
It will make a sovereign drink for melancholy passions." The juice of the leaves abounds in nitre, and the withered stalks have been seen to burn like matchpaper. The young leaves and tender tops used to be taken in salad. Now the plant is scarcely ever used except for flavouring claret-cup. It resembles, in this respect, burnet and cucumber. • • ..