34 FLORA DOMESTICA. 



Of vegetable gold ; and next to life, 



Our death, the tree of knowledge, grew fast by, 



Knowledge of good bought dear by knowing ill." 



Spenser differs in his description of the tree of life : let the 

 reader judge between them. Certainly the fruit now called 

 the forbidden fruit best agrees with Milton's description. 

 It is about the size of a cocoa-nut, shape of an orange, and 

 the colour of a lemon. Spenser makes the fruit an apple : 



f ' There grew a goodly tree him fair beside, 

 Loaden with fruit, and apples rosy red, 

 As they in pure vermilion had been dide, 

 Whereof great vertues over all were read ; 

 For happy life for all which thereon fed, 

 And life eke everlasting did befall : 

 Great God it planted in that blessed sted 

 With his almighty hand, and did it call 



The Tree of Life, the crime of our first father's fall. 



" In all the world like was not to be found, 



Save in that soil, where all good things did grow, 

 And freely sprong out of the grateful ground, 

 As uncorrupted nature did them sow, 

 Till that dread dragon all did overthrow. 

 Another like fair tree eke grew thereby, 

 Whereof whoso did eat, eftsoons did know 

 Both good and ill : O mournful memory ! 



That tree through one man's fault hath done us all to die. 



" From that first tree forth flowed, as from a well, 

 A trickling stream of balm, most sovereign 

 And dainty dear, which on the ground still fell, 

 And overflowed all the fertile plain, 

 As it had dewed been with timely rain : 

 Life and long health that gracious ointment gave, 

 And deadly wounds could heal, and rear again 

 The senseless corse appointed for the grave." 



FAIRY QUEEN, b. i. c. 2 



