DENDROLOGIA 



THE FOURTH BOOK 



An historical account of the sacredness and use of standing 



groves, &c. 



i. And thus have we finish'd what we esteem'd 

 necessary for the direction of planting, and the culture 

 of trees and woods in general ; whether for the raising 

 of new, or preservation of the more ancient and 

 venerable shades, crowning the brows of lofty hills, 

 or furnishing and adorning the more fruitful and 

 humble plains, groves and forests, such as were never 

 prophan'd by the inhumanity of edge-tools : Woods, 

 whose original are as unknown as the Arcadians ; like 

 the goodly cedars of Libanus, Psalm 104, arbores 

 Dei, according to the Hebrew, for something doubt- 

 less which they noted in the genius of those venerable 

 places besides their meer bulk and stature : And verily, 

 I cannot think to have well acquitted my self of this 

 useful subject, till I shall have in some sort vindicated 

 the honour of trees and woods, by shewing my reader 

 of what estimation they were of old for their divine, 

 as well as civil uses ; at least refresh both him, and 

 my self, with what occurs of historical and instructive 

 amongst the learned concerning them. And first, 

 standing woods and forests were not only the original 



