THE TULIP. 175 



sition, and beyond doubt prevents a more extensive 

 culture of them. 



The Tulip, according to Gesner, is a native of 

 Cappadocia, a province of Natolia, or Asia Minor, 

 though some others affirm that it grew spontaneously, 

 and was common to most of the islands in the Le- 

 vant, or Eastern Mediterranean Sea. It was intro- 

 duced into England in the year 1577, where it has 

 been found to increase freely, and to grow in the 

 open ground without any extraordinary degree of 

 care. 



We are indebted to this part of the world both for 

 some of our choicest fruits as well as flowers as, for 

 instance, apples, cherries, peaches, plums, quinces, 

 and some peculiar sorts of grapes. We have re- 

 ceived from thence some of our most beautiful lilies 

 and irises ; for what is finer than the white lily and 

 the scarlet martagon, or more curious than the Iris 

 Susiana? The musk and damask roses, and the 

 greater part of odoriferous shrubs, were brought 

 from thence. 



The inconstancy of the seed of the Tulip has mul- 



