CHAP, iv S Y L V A 265 



4 may happen hereafter, to give cloaths to a great 

 c part of Europe, and a vast treasure to our Kings : 

 ' If the silk-worms shall thrive there, (of which there 

 ' seems to be no doubt) the profit will be inexpress- 

 ' ible. We may guess at it, by considering what 

 c numbers of caravans, and how many great cities in 

 ' Persia, are maintain'd by that manufacture alone, 

 ' and what mighty customs it yearly brings unto the 

 * Sophi's revenue. Thus he : To which we might 

 add ; that not only the China-orange mention'd by 

 the Doctor, but the whole race of orange-trees, were 

 strangers in Italy, and unknown at Rome ; nor grew 

 they nearer than Persia, whence first they travell'd 

 into Greece, as Athenaeus tells us. But to return to 

 that of China, and give some account of its propaga- 

 tion in Europe : The first was sent for a present to 

 the old Conde Mellor, then Prime Minister to the 

 King of Portugal : But of that whole case, (they 

 came to Lisbon in) there was but one only plant, 

 which escap'd the being so spoil'd and tainted; that 

 with great care it hardly recovered, to be since be- 

 come the parent and progenitor of all those flourishing 

 trees of that name, cultivated by our gardeners, tho' 

 not without sensibly degenerating. Receiving this 

 account from the illustrious son of the Conde (suc- 

 cessor in title and favour) upon his being recall'd (then 

 an exile at our Court, where I had the honour to be 

 known to him) I thought fit to mention it in this 

 place, for an instance of what the industry we have 

 recommended, would questionless in less than half an 

 age, produce of wonders, by introduction, if not of 

 quite different, yet of better kinds, and such variety 

 for pulchritude and sweetness ; that when by some 

 princely example, our late pride, effeminacy, and 



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