146 AGRICULTURE. 



ground, which yields bread to man " in sorrow " and in the 

 " sweat of his face." 



Of the Georgics we need only say, that they afford not 

 the least striking instance of the exquisite skill with which 

 the Roman poet could borrow more than a foundation, and 

 rear on it a structure possessing all the charms of originality. 

 Perhaps, none but an agricultural reader will fully perceive 

 the perfect harmony which is maintained in the Georgics 

 between the imagination of the poet, and the homely 

 science of the farmer. The two characters never clash. 

 Whenever the farmer comes on the scene however smooth 

 the verse and elegant the diction the directions which 

 he gives are precise, ample, practical, and sound. The 

 poem becomes a hand-book of husbandry. Virgil (born 

 B.C. TO) succeeds Varro in the catalogue of agricultural 

 authors. 



Columella usually personates the classics of agriculture, 

 and horticulture, to our imagination : partly, perhaps, be- 

 cause his works have come to us nearly entire and in large 

 volumes ; but principally, we think, because we know him 

 merely as an agricultural writer, whereas most of his rivals 

 or coadjutors are familiar to us as kings, generals, states- 

 men, orators, philosophers, or poets. He was a Spaniard, 

 and apparently born about the time of the Christian era. 

 He occupied a Pyrenean farm, and speaks more largely of 

 his success in cultivating the vine, than in any other depart- 

 ment of husbandry. He introduces to us an uncle of his 

 own name as an eminent flock-master, who much improved 

 his sheep by introducing rams from Africa. We suspect 

 that on this statement is founded the popular opinion, that 

 Columella established the Merino sheep in Spain. Columella 

 makes free use of the agricultural writers who preceded him, 

 particularly of Mago, to whose authority he submits with 

 willing deference. Among the Latin authors whom he 

 cites with respect, is Julius Graecinus, the father of Agricola. 

 Columella's work is divided into twelve books tw) on 

 farming and farm-premises but which contain also some 



