CHAP, v S Y L V A 287 



lib. 5. nulla felix arbor , nihil frugiferum in agro relictum. 

 Whence that of Phaedrus, 1. 3. Fab. upon Jupiter's 

 esculus : 



nata, merito sapiens dicere omnibus 

 Nisi utile est quod facimus, stulta est gloria, 



reciting the ancient trees sacred to the deity, the 

 most desirable being those that were fruitful, and 

 for use. 



6. The alaternus^ which we have lately receiv'd 

 from the hottest parts of Languedoc, (and that is 

 equal with the heat of almost any country in Europe) 

 thrives with us in England, as if it were an indigine 

 and natural ; yet sometimes yielding to a severe 

 Winter, follow'd with a tedious eastern wind in the 

 Spring, of all the most hostile and cruel enemies of 

 our climate ; and therefore to be artificially and timely 

 provided against with shelter. 



7. I have had the honour to be the first who 

 brought it into use and reputation in the kingdom, 

 for the most beautiful and useful of hedges and 

 verdure in the world (the swiftness of the growth 

 consider'd) and propagated it from Cornwall, even 

 to Cumberland : The seed grows ripe with us in 

 August ; and the honey-breathing blossoms afford 

 an early and marvellous relief to the bees. 



8. The celastrus (of the same class) ligustrum and 

 privits, so flexible and accommodate for topiary- 

 works, and so well known, I shall need say no more of. 



9. The philyrea, (of which there are five or six 

 sorts, and some variegated) are sufficiently hardy, 

 (especially the serratifole] which makes me wonder 

 to find the angustifolia planted in cases, and so charily 



