296 S Y L V A BOOK ii 



1 Box-combs bear no small part 



In the militia of the female-art ; 



They tye the links which hold our gallants fast, 



And spread the nets to which fond lovers hast. 



3. The chymical oyl of this wood has done the 

 feats of the best guajacum (though in greater quantity) 

 for the cure of venereal diseases, as one of the most 

 expert physicians in Europe has confess'd. The oyl 

 asswages the tooth-ache. But, says Rhodoginus, the 

 honey which is made at Trevisond in box-trees, 

 (I suppose he means gather'd among them ; for there 

 are few, I believe, if any, so large and hollow as to 

 lodge and hive them) renders them distracted who 

 eat of it. Lib. xxni. cap. 25. 



v. Since the use of bows is laid aside amongst us, 

 the propagation of the yew-tree (of which we have 

 two sorts, and other places reckon more, as the 

 Arcadian black and red ; the yellow of Ida, infinitely 

 esteem'd of old) is likewise quite forborn ; but the 

 neglect of it is to be deplor'd ; seeing that (besides 

 the rarity of it in Italy and France, where but little 

 of it grows) the barrenest grounds, and coldest of our 

 mountains (for 



.Aquilonem & frigora taxi) 



might be profitably replenish'd with them : I say, 

 profitably, for, besides the use of the wood for bows 



Jtyraeos taxi torquentur in anus. 



(For which the close and more deeply dy'd is best) 

 the forementioned artists in box, cabinet-makers, 



1 Non ultima belli 



Arma puellaris ; laqueos haec nectit amantum, 



Et venatricis disponit retia formae. Couleti pi. 1.6. 



