and some parts of Africa; and is found also, growing naturally, in Persia.

The French are now so partial to the flavour and qualities of this plant, that its leaves enter into the composition of almost all their soups and sauces.

65

BEAN.-FABA.

Natural order, Papilionacea. A genus of the Diadelphia Decandria class.

THE Bean was called in Greek Κύαμος, by the Falisci, a people of Hetruria (now Tuscany), Haba; whence the name Faba seems to be taken. Martinius derives the word from Tάw, to feed; as if it were Paba; Isidorus from gayw, to eat.

The flowers of this pulse, which are of the butterfly kind, emit a most agreeable perfume.

Long let us walk

Where the breeze blows from yon extended field
Of blossom'd beans. Arabia cannot boast

A fuller gale of joy than liberal thence

Breathes through the sense, and takes the ravish'd soul." THOMSON.

Of all the pulse kind, this held the first rank in ancient times. We find the Athenians used beans sodden, in their feasts dedicated to Apollo; and the Romans presented

beans as an oblation in their solemn sacrifice called Fabaria, a festival held in honour of Carna, wife of Janus. Pliny informs us, that they offered cakes made of bean meal unto certain gods and goddesses, in these ancient rites and ceremonies. Lempriere states, that bacon was added to the beans in the offerings to Carna, not so much to gratify the palate of the goddess, as to represent the simplicity of their ancestors.

One of the most noble and powerful families of Rome derived the name of Fabii from some of their ancestors having culti vated the bean called Faba.

The meal of beans is the heaviest made from pulse, and was called in Latin lomentum. This was mingled with frumentic corn, whole, and so eaten by the ancients; but they sometimes, by way of having a dainty, bruised it first it was considered a strong food, and was generally eaten with gruel or pottage. It was thought to dull the senses and understanding, and to cause troublesome dreams. Pythagoras expressly forbade beans to be eaten by his disciples, because he supposed them to have been produced from the same putrid matter from which, at the creation of the world, man was formed. The Romans at

one time believed, that the souls of such as were departed, resided in beans; therefore they were eaten at funerals and obsequies of the dead.

Varro relates, that the great priests or sacrificers, called Flamines, abstained from beans on this account, as also from a supposition that certain letters or characters were to be seen in the flowers, that indicated heaviness and signs of death. Clemens Alexandrinus attributes the abstinence from beans to the opinion that they occasioned sterility; which is confirmed by Theophrastus, who extends the effects even to the plants. Cicero suggests another reason for this abstinence, viz. that beans are great enemies to tranquillity of mind; for which reason Amphiaraus is said to have abstained from them, even before Pythagoras, that he might enjoy a clearer divination by his dreams.

The Egyptian priests held it a crime to look at beans, judging the very sight unclean. The Flamen Dialis was not per

mitted even to mention the name.

Lucian

introduces a philosopher in hell saying, that to eat beans, and to eat our father's head, were equal crimes.

The ancients made use of beans in gathering the votes of the people, and for electing the magistrates. A white bean signified absolution, and a black one condemnation. From this practice, we imagine, was derived the plan of black-balling obnoxious persons.

The Roman husbandmen had a religious ceremony respecting this pulse, somewhat remarkable; when they sowed corn of any kind, they took care to bring some beans from the field, for good luck's sake, superstitiously thinking that by such means their corn would return home again to them; these beans were then called Refrina or Referina. The Romans carried their superstition even farther, for they thought that beans mixed with goods offered for sale at the ports, would infallibly bring good luck to the seller.

Columella notices them in his time as food for the peasants only:

"And herbs they mix with beans for vulgar fare.” Pliny states that the sowing of beans is equal to manure for land, and enriches it exceedingly; and that in the vicinity of Macedonia and Thessaly, the custom was to plough them into the ground just as they began to bloom. This author adds,