( 60 ) 



great repute. Pliny * fpeaks as highly of the 

 knobs, and excrefcences of this tree, called the 

 brufca and mollufca, as Dr. Plot does of thofe 

 of the amf . The veins of thefe excrefcences 

 in the maple, Pliny tells us, were fo variegated, 

 that they exceeded the beauty of any other 

 wood -, even of the citron : tho the citron was 

 in fuch repute at Rome, that Cicero, who was 

 neither rich, or expenli ve, was tempted to give 

 ten thoufand fefterces for a citron table. The 

 brufca and mollufca, Pliny adds, were rarely of 

 fize fufficient for the larger fpecies of furniture - t 

 but in all fmaller cabinet-work they were in- 

 cftimable. But indeed the whole tree was 

 efteemed by the ancients, on account of it's 

 variegated wood. In Ovid we find it thus 

 celebrated : 



-acerque coloribus impar %. 



How far at this day, it may be valued for 

 cabinet-work, I know not. I have, here and 

 there, feen boxes, and other little things made 

 of it, which I have thought beautiful. But I 



* See Plin. Nat. hift.lib. xvi. ch. 16. 



f See page 35 : fee alfo Plin. Nat. hift. lib. xiii. ch. 15. 



t Met. lib. x. v. i. 



am 



