68 PROSERPINA. 



therefore it was that the youth of Greece sacrificed 

 their hair — the sign of their continually renewed 

 strength, — to the rivers, and to Apollo. Therefore, to 

 commemorate Apollo's own chief victory over death 

 — over Python, the corrupter, — a laurel branch was 

 gathered every ninth year in the vale of Tempe ; 

 and the laurel leaf became the reward or crown 

 of all beneficent and enduring work of man — work 

 of inspiration, born of the strength of the earth, 

 and of the dew of heaven, and which can never 

 pass away. 



29. You may doubt at first, even because of its 

 grace, this meaning in the fable of Apollo and 

 Daphne ; you will not doubt it, however, when 

 you trace it back to its first eastern origin. When 

 we speak carelessly of the traditions respecting the 

 Garden of Eden, (or in Hebrew, remember, Garden 

 of Delight,) we are apt to confuse Milton's descrip- 

 tions with those in the book of Genesis. Milton fills 

 his Paradise with flowers ; but no flowers are spoken 

 of in Genesis. We may indeed conclude that in 

 speaking of every herb of the field, flowers are 

 included. But they are not named. The things 

 that are named in the Garden of Delight are trees 

 only. 



The words are, " every tree that was pleasant to 

 the sight and good for food ; " and as if to mark 



