10 THE LARCH. 



length, SO stauncli as not one drop of water had soaked 

 into any room. Tiberius, we find, built that famous 

 bridge to his Xaumacliia with this wood, and it seems 

 to excel for beams. Doors, windows, and masts of ships 

 resist the worm. Being driven into the ground, it is 

 almost petrified, and will support an incredible weight ; 

 which, and its property of long resisting fire, makes 

 Yitruvius wish they had more of it at Eome to make 

 goists of. Where the forum of Augustus was, it seems 

 built of it, and divers bridges by Tiberius ; for that 

 being attempted with fire, it is long in taking hold, 

 growing only black without ; and the timber of it is 

 so exceedingly transparent, that cabans being made of 

 the thin boards, when in the dark night they have 

 lighted candles in them, people who are at a distance 

 without doors would imagine the whole room to be 

 on fire, which is pretty odd, considering there is no 

 material so (as they pretend) unapt to kindle. The 

 Larix bears polishing excellently well, and the turners 

 abroad much desire it. Yitruvius says 'tis so pondrous 

 that it will sink in the water. It also makes ever- 

 lasting spouts, pent-houses, and featheridge, which 

 need neither pitch or painting to preserve them, and 

 so excellent pales, posts, rails, pediments, and props 

 for vines, &c., to which add the palats on which our 

 painters separate and blend their colours, and were, 

 till the use of canvas and bed-tike came, the tables on 

 which the great Eaphael and most famous artists of 

 the last age eternised their skill." 



I have quoted Evelyn at full length, not so much 



