Scd:. I. of Foreft Trees. i^j 



Tbou Sun^ /aid I, fair Li?ht^ 



Andtbou enlightened Earth fofrefi and gay, 

 Te Hills and Dales je Rivers, Woods ^ andPlains^ 

 And ye that live and move ^ fair Creatures^ tell, 

 Tell^ if you f aw ^ how came I thus ! how here ! 



Thefe indeed are the Flights of a Poetick 

 Fancy 5 but upon a fhort Examen we fhall 

 find the Account that is made of thefe Ame- 

 nities by the ferious and religious part of 

 Mankind : And certain it is, there is no Place 

 fo proper for divine Purpofes as thefe Nemo- 

 rous Abodes : 'Twas under a Tree, Mr. Eve- 

 /y72 obferves, that St.^w/?2Vs folemn Conver- 

 fion was wrought, after all his importunate 

 Reludances 5 and he gives the Reafon of it 

 himfelf, Solitudo eni?n mihi ad negotium flendi 

 aptior fuggerabatur. And we may reafonably 

 fuppofe (from that Example) that the Air of 

 fuch retired Places may be afliftant and influ- 

 ential for the Incitement of Penitential Ex- 

 preflions and Affeftions, efpecially wherf 

 thereto is added folitary Grotts, murmuring 

 Streams, and defolate Profpefts. Thefe are 

 fo very material, that I fhall in my Defigns 

 make ufe of them in feveral Receffes of my 

 Woody Plantations, rather than the moft 

 elaborate Architefture 5 for as there is no 

 Paflion of the Soul more noble than that of 

 Pity, we may fee it here invited by fuch 

 gloomy and melancholy Subjefts as would, 

 if one gives liberty to Thought, melt down 

 the moft obdurate Heart. 



3 Thus 



