CHAP, in S Y L V A 27 



cause) the hairs dure with the body, and are esteem'd 

 excrements but from their superfluous growth : So 

 as he resolves upon good reason, that fruit-trees well 

 ordered may live a thousand years, and bear fruit ; 

 and the longer the more, the greater, and the better ; 

 (for which an instance also in Dr. Beal's Herefordshire 

 Orchards^ pag. 21, 22.) because his vigour is proud 

 and stronger, when his years are many. Thus you 

 shall see old trees put forth their buds and blossoms 

 both sooner, and more plentifully than young trees 

 by much ; and I sensibly perceive (saith he) my 

 young trees to enlarge their fruit as they grow greater, 

 fife, and if fruit-trees continue to this age, how many 

 ages is it to be supposed strong and huge timber-trees 

 will last ? whose massy bodies require the years of 

 divers Methuselahs, before they determine their days ; 

 whose sap is strong and bitter ; whose bark is hard 

 and thick, and their substance solid and stiff ; all 

 which are defences of health and long life. Their 

 strength withstands all forcible winds ; their sap of 

 that quality is not subject to worms and tainting ; 

 their bark receives seldom or never by casualty any 

 wound ; and not only so, but they are free from 

 removals, which are the death of millions of trees ; 

 whereas the fruit-tree (in comparison) is little, and 

 frequently blow down ; his sap sweet, easily and soon 

 tainted ; his bark tender, and soon wounded ; and 

 himself used by man as man uses himself ; that is, 

 either unskilfully, or carelesly. Thus he. But 

 Vossius de theolog. gent. lib. 5. c, 5. gives too little age 

 to ashes, when he speaks but of one hundred years, 

 (in which, as in the rest, he seems to agree with my 

 Lord Bacon, hist, "vitae & mort. artic. I .) and to the 

 Medica, pyrus^ prunus^ cornus but sixty; he had as good 



