Roots and Plants, that if _Pavius_, the greatest Botanist of his Age, was to rise from the Dead, he would wonder to find that he could be instructed by these Men; I am surprized, he should have despised their Information, and, contrary to the Custom of their Historiographers, given us (_Europeans_) such a lame and imperfect Description of _Tea_, when commenting on the _Indian_ Plants. One would be ready to take it for an Herb, when he is told, that its Leaves resemble those of the _Daisy_, and have small Incisions about the Edges, which _Tulpius_ also ascribes to them. It is worth our Observation, that _Tulpius_, _Trigautius_, _Bontius_, and other Authors, unanimously agree in this, that the Decoction of _Tea_ is of a pretty, grateful, bitter Taste. In order, therefore, to clear up these Difficulties, I must have recourse to the Reverend Father, _Alexander de Rhodes_, who, in his _Sommaire des divers Voyages & Missions Apostoliques_, speaks in the following Manner: "Among the most memorable Things in this Country, is _Tay_; the Use of which is not only common to all the _Eastern_ Countries, but also begins to be known in _Europe_: It is justly to be reckoned among the most salutary Substances which I observed in this Country; and I do not know but it is one of the principal Causes, why the Inhabitants not only enjoy such a good State of Health, but also arrive at so extreme an old Age. The Leaves are as big as those of the Pomegranate Tree, and the Shrub itself resembles the Myrtle Bush. Nor does _Tea_ grow in any Part of the World, except in two Provinces of _China_, which are _Nanquin_ and _Chim_, the Inhabitants of which have their Harvests for _Tea_ Leaves, as we have for our Grain in _Europe_. These Leaves they dry in Furnaces, and preserve for Use in close stopped Vessels. It is frequently used through all _China_, _Japan_, _Tonquin_, and other Kingdoms; and there are such great Quantities of it, that it is sold at a Small Price. For this Reason they use it frequently every Day, or rather each Hour, prepared in the following Manner: They throw the Leaves into boiling Water, which they forthwith take off the Fire; and when the Leaves have subsided, which is generally in a Quarter of an Hour, they drink the Water, from which they find three very happy Effects; the first of which is to repress Vapours, and alleviate Pains of the Head: For when I laboured under an _Hemicrania_, or any other Disorder of the Head, by drinking this Water, I had my Pain so quickly alleviated, as if a Person had done it by the Application of his Hand. When, for the Sake of hearing Confessions, I was obliged to sit up whole Nights, I used the same Remedy, and, by its Means, was not only hindered from sleeping, but also felt no more Uneasiness next Day, than if I had not sat up. I once made an Experiment of this for six Nights successively, but must confess I found myself wearied and exhausted. The second Virtue of this Water, or Decoction, is to corroborate the