STUDY XI. 351 



the bread-fruit. Every ifland arofe in the midft of 

 the Sea, like a vafe which fupported a precious ve- 

 getable. When they difcovered a tree laden with 

 unknown fruit, they gathered fome branches of 

 it, and ran to meet their companions with fhouts 

 of joy, exhibiting to them this new benefit be- 

 llowed by Nature. 



From thofe early voyages, and from thofe an- 

 cient cuftoms it is, that there has been diflufed, 

 over all Nations, the practice of confulting the 

 flight of birds before engaging in any enterprize, 

 and that of going to meet ftrangers, with the branch 

 of a tree in the hand, in token of peace, and of joy 

 at light of a prefent from Heaven. Thefe cuftoms 

 flill exift among the iflanders of the South'Sea, and 

 among the free tribes of America. But not fruit- 

 trees alone fixed the attention of the firft Men. If 

 fome heroic action, or fome irreparable difafter, 

 had excited admiration, or infpired regret, the 

 tree adjoining was ennobled by it. They preferred 

 it, with thofe fruits of virtue or of love, to fuch 

 as produced food or perfume. Thus, in the 

 iflands of Greece and of Italy, the laurel became 

 the fymbol of triumph, and the cyprefs that of 

 eternal forrow. The oak fupplied crowns of un- 

 decaying honour to the well-deferving citizen, and 

 fimple graffes decorated the brows of the men who 

 had laved their Country. O Romans ! people 



worthy 



