THE HYACINTH. 191 



sited in low lands after the subsiding of some vast 

 overflowing torrent or inundation, and that it bears 

 a great resemblance to that of Lower Egypt.' 



f Our country,' replied Mynheer, f is for the most 

 part naturally poor and barren. It may resemble 

 that of Egypt in some particulars, viz. its low situa- 

 tion and sandy earth ; but it is not yearly enriched 

 with the fertilizing slime, and mud and soil deposited 

 by the inundation of the Nile, which is said to be 

 caused by periodical rains that fall in Nubia and 

 Abyssinia; there a hot sun in an unclouded atmos- 

 phere seems to impart birth and maturity to vege- 

 table productions almost at the same instant; so 

 rapid is the growth, and so well matured the fruits 

 and grain; there corn, and rice, and flax, sugar- 

 canes, vines, figs, and dates, melons, gourds, and 

 cucumbers, the papyrus, the lotus, &c. flourish in the 

 greatest luxuriancy. Take away our bulbs, and 

 what else have we to boast of? Choice exotics do 

 not thrive well with us, nor are our fruits too richly 

 flavoured ; we suffer more from damps and fogs than 

 you do in England.' 



