2 Oration delivered before the Agricultural Society. 



elegant copioufnefs o^ Pliny , or the fubtil erudition of Erajmus. 

 Withdraw your minds a litde while from public cares, and by 

 way of relaxation from the greater concerns of politics, jurif- 

 prudence and legiflation, fufFer them to be conduced by me to 

 the contemplation of Agriculture and rural affairs. 



Fortunately it happens, that no violent effort is neceffary, 

 either on. your part or on mine, to fix and confine attention to 

 the theme, fince there is a natural propenfity in the human mind 

 to be pleafed with the fcenery and profpefts of the country. 

 When all the pomp and luxuries of high life have palled upon 

 the fenfes, then the jaded minds of the cits are refreihed by ideas 

 of breezes and trees, of vallies and brooks, of fhepherds and 

 their flocks. Thus in the palace of Ptolemy could Theocritus 

 charm the courtiers with his rural lays, fo did the fwain of 

 Mantua delight the minions of Augiflus with the dialogues of 

 Melibccus and TityruSy of Menalcas and Palemon. In like 

 manner, in later days, have Geffner and Haller pleafed the tafte 

 of the Germans with their paftoral effays, as much as Pope and 

 Phillips have gratified that of the Englifli. The imagination 

 loves to range without controul in this romantic variety of 

 produ6lions; and according to the humour and inclination of 

 the defcriber, a country retreat becomes an Elyfiuvi or a Biitica„ 

 an Arcadia or a Paradife. 



It would be uimeceffary to cite from doubtful antiquity, the 

 iloiy of the goddefs CereSy who is faid to have travelled over 

 the world with her Cornucopia.-, to prcfent bread-corn to 



