( -56 ) 



of whom Mr. Addifon fpeaks with particular 

 refpecl, tells us*, that the gates of the great 

 church at Ravenna in Italy were made of vine 

 planks, twelve feet long, and fourteen or fifteen 

 inches broad. The vine from which thefe 

 planks were taken, muft have been an enor- 

 mous vegetable of it's kind. Indeed, if the 

 account had not been well attefted, it would 



have exceeded credit. Miflbn adds, that 



the foil about Ravenna, on the fide next the 

 fea, was remarkable for the enormous growth 

 of vines ; and he fuppofes, it was owing to the 

 rich manure left by the fea. For tho the town 

 of Ravenna in his day, flood a league from the 

 Adriatic ; yet it is an undoubted facl, that 

 the fea formerly warned it's walls; and that 

 the prefent Ravenna occupies the fite of the 

 ancient Ravenna, which we know, was one 

 of the beft ports, the Romans had on the 

 Adriatic. 



Having thus given the hiftory of fome of the 

 moft celebrated trees on record, I cannot help 



* See Miffon's Travels in Italy. 



fubjoining 



