By lovers the holly has long been supposed to have mystic virtues as a dream-plant when used on the eve of any of the following festivals: Christmas, New Year's Day, Midsummer, and All Hallowe'en.
According to the mode of procedure practised in the northern counties, the anxious maiden, before retiring to rest, places three pails full of water in her bedroom, and then pins to her night-dress three leaves of green holly opposite to her heart, after which she goes to sleep.
Believing in the efficacy of the charm, she persuades herself that she will be roused from her first slumber by three yells, as if from the throats of three bears, succeeded by as many hoarse laughs.

When these have died away, the form of her future husband will appear, who will show his attachment to her by changing the position of the water-pails, whereas if he have no particular affection he will disappear without even touching them.
Then, of course, from time immemorial all kinds of charms have been observed on St.Valentine's Day to produce prophetic dreams.

A popular charm consisted of placing two bay leaves, after sprinkling them with rose-water, across the pillow, repeating this formula:-- "Good Valentine, be kind to me, In dream let me my true love see." St.Luke's Day was in years gone by a season for love-divination, and among some of the many directions given we may quote the subjoined, which is somewhat elaborate:-- "Take marigold flowers, a sprig of marjoram, thyme, and a little wormwood; dry them before a fire, rub them to powder, then sift it through a fine piece of lawn; simmer these with a small quantity of virgin honey, in white vinegar, over a slow fire; with this anoint your stomach, breasts, and lips, lying down, and repeat these words thrice:-- 'St Luke, St.Luke, be kind to me, In dream let me my true love see!' This said, hasten to sleep, and in the soft slumbers of night's repose, the very man whom you shall marry shall appear before you." Lastly, certain plants have been largely used by gipsies and fortune-tellers for invoking dreams, and in many a country village these are plucked and given to the anxious inquirer with various formulas.
Footnotes: 1.

"Primitive Culture," 1873, ii.

416, 417.
2.