[To the list of persons now privileged to wear such collars given by Mr. Nichols, must be added the Serjeants of Arms, of whose creation by investiture with the Collar of Esses, Pegge has preserved so curious an account in the Fifth Part of his Curialia.]

Hell paved with good Intentions (Vol. ii., p. 86.).—­The history of the phrase which Sir Walter Scott attributed “to a stern old divine,” and which J.M.G. moralises upon, and asserts to be a misquotation for “the road to hell,” &c., is this:—­Boswell, {141} in his Life of Johnson (sub 15th April, 1775), says that Johnson, in allusion to the unhappy failure of pious resolves, said to an acquaintance, “Sir, hell is paved with good intentions.”  Upon which Malone adds a note: 

    “This is a proverbial saying.  ‘Hell,’ says Herbert, ’is full of
    good meanings and wishings.’—­Jacula Prudentum, p. 11. ed.
    1631.”

but he does not say where else the proverbial saying is to be found.  The last editor, Croker, adds,—­

    “Johnson’s phrase has become so proverbial, that it may seem
    rather late to ask what it means—­why ‘paved?’ perhaps as
    making the road easy, facilis descensus Averni.”

C.

The Plant “Haemony" (Vol. ii., p. 88.).—­I think MR. BASHAM, who asks for a reference to the plant “haemony”, referred to by Milton in his Comus, will find the information which he seeks in the following extract from Henry Lyte’s translation of Rembert Dodoen’s Herbal, at page 107, of the edition of 1578.  The plant is certainly not called by the name of “haemony,” nor is it described as having prickles on its leaves; but they are plentifully shown in the engraving which accompanies the description.

“Allysson.—­The stem of this herbe is right and straight, parting itself at the top into three or foure small branches.  The leaves be first round, and after long whitish and rough, or somewhat woolly in handling.  It bringeth foorth at the top of the branches little yellow floures, and afterward small rough whitish and flat huskes, and almost round fashioned like bucklers, wherein is contained a flat seede almost like to the seed of castell or stocke gilloflers, but greater.

    “Alysson, as Dioscorides writeth, groweth upon rough mountaynes,
    and is not found in this countrey but in the gardens of some
    herboristes.

    “The same hanged in the house, or at the gate or entry, keepeth
    man and beast from enchantments and witching.”

K.P.D.E.

As a “Note” to DR. BASHAM’S “Query”, I would quote Ovid’s Metamorph., lib vii. l. 264-5.: 

  “Illic Haemonia radices valle resectas. 
  Seminaque, et flores, et succos incoquit acres.”

T.A.