2rl6 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



This happy portion of Greece, prefented to me 

 climates and fituations fimilar to thofe which are 

 difperfed over the reft of Europe. I could falhion 

 them, at leaft, into pidures variegaied, and pofef- 

 iing the advantage of refemblance. It was filled 

 with mountains of confiderable elevation, fome of 

 which, fuch as that of Phoé, covered with fnow all 

 the year round, rendered it fimilar to Switzerland. 

 On the other hand, it's moraffes, fuch as that of 

 Stymphale, gave it, in this part of it's territory, a 

 refemblance to Holland. It's vegetables, 'and it's 

 animals, were the fame with thofe which are fcatter- 

 ed over the foil of Italy, of France, and of the North 

 of Europe. It produced olive-trees, vines, apple- 

 trees, corn of all kinds, pafturej fo refis of oaks, 

 of pines, and of firs ; oxen, horfes, (heep, goats, 



wolves The occupations of the Arcadians were 



the fame with thofe of our peafantry. They were 

 clafled into hufbandmen, fhepherds, vine-dreflers, 

 huntfmen. But in this they differed widely from 

 ours, they were very warlike externally, and very 

 peaceable at home. As foon as the State was me- 

 naced with war, they voluntarily appeared for it's 

 defence, every man at his proper charge. There 

 was a confiderable proportion of Arcadians among 

 the ten thoufand Greeks, who, under the com- 

 mand of XenophoH, ejTecle:d the famous retreat out 

 pf Perfia, They were much dçyoted to religion; 



for 



