THE GARDENS OF EPICURUS 33 



common, if at all known in Italy, at that time, or long 

 after, though the fruit be now so frequent there in 

 fields (at least in some parts) and make so common and 

 delicious a part of gardening, even in these northern 

 climates. 



'Tis certain those noble fruits, the citron, the orange 

 and the lemon, are the native product of those noble 

 regions, Assyria, Media and Persia ; and though they 

 have been from thence transplanted and propagated in 

 many parts of Europe, yet they have not arrived at 

 such perfection in beauty, taste or virtue as in their 

 native soil and climate. This made it generally 

 observed among the Greeks and Romans, that the 

 fruits of the East far excelled those of the West. And 

 several writers had trifled away their time in deducing 

 the reasons of this difference, from the more benign 

 or powerful influences of the rising sun. But there is 

 nothing more evident to any man that has the least 

 knowledge of the globe, and gives himself leave to 

 think, than the folly of such wise reasons, since the 

 regions that are east to us, are west to some others ; 

 and the sun rises alike to all that lie in the same latitude, 

 with the same heat and virtue upon its first approaches, 

 as well as in its progress. Besides, if the eastern fruits 

 were the better only for that position of climate, then 



D 



