206 S Y L V A BOOK iv 



habitations of men, and for defence and fortresses, but 

 the first occasion of that speech, polity and society 

 which made them differ from beasts. This, the 

 architect 1 Vitruvius ingeniously describes, where he 

 tells us that the violent percussion of one tree against 

 another forced by an impetuous wind, setting them on 

 fire, the flame did not so much surprize and affright 

 the salvage foresters, as the warmth, which (after a 

 little gazing at the unusual accident) they found so 

 comfortable : This (says he) invited them to approach 

 it nearer, and as it spent and consum'd, by signs and 

 barbarous tones (which in process of time were form'd 

 into significant words) to encourage one another to 

 supply it with fresh combustibles : By this accident 

 the wild people, who before were afraid of one 

 another, and dwelt asunder, began to find the benefit 

 and sweetness of society, mutual assistance, and con- 

 versation, which they afterwards improv'd, by building 

 houses with those trees, and dwelling nearer together: 

 From these mean and imperfect beginnings they 

 arriv'd in time to be authors of the most polish'd arts, 

 established laws, peopl'd nations, planted countries, 

 and laid the foundation of all that order and magni- 

 ficence which the succeeding ages have enjoy'd : No 

 more then let us admire the enormous moles and 

 bridges of Caligula across to Baiae ; or that of Trajan 

 over the Danubius, stupendous work of stone and 

 marble, to the adverse shores; whilst our timber and 

 our trees making us bridges to the furthest Indies and 

 Antipodes, land us into new worlds : In a word (and to 

 speak a bold and noble truth) trees and woods have 

 twice sav'd the whole world ; first by the Ark, then 

 by the Cross ; making full amends for the evil fruit 



1 Vitruv. /. 2. c. I. 



