Everyday Memory > John Gerard, The Herball, or General History of Plants
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Gerard's description of rosemary, one of his recommended herbs to strengthen memory
"Herballs" were a popular genre of early modern reference text that provided information on plants for culinary, medicinal, and other purposes. John Gerard's The Herball, or General History of Plants was one of the most popular in England, an expansive text that contained not just information about herbs but also beautiful illustrations of them. Gerard has many recommendations for ingestible herbs that can improve memory--here, he recommends rosemary because it can "drie the braine" which can "quicken senses and memory."