108 SYLVA FLORIFERA. 



It is related that Tiberius, who had a great 

 dread of lightning when accompanied with 

 thunder, would cover his head with boughs 

 of this tree, and creep under his bed to avoid 

 it. The belief that the bay-tree had the pro- 

 perty of repelling lightning lasted a long time 

 after the fall of paganism : Madame de Genlis 

 tells us, that it was on this superstition that 

 the device of the Count de Dunois was 

 founded, which represented this tree beneath 

 a tempestuous sky, and for motto 



Terrce solum natale tuetur. 

 " I defend the earth which bears me." 



To this day it is customary for the peasants 

 in the Pyrenees to cover themselves with 

 branches of the bay tree, as a security from 

 the lightning, and we have known it planted 

 by our own villagers as a protection from fire. 

 In this happy effect of ignorance, we trace the 

 expiring spark of Roman superstition. 



The aromatic emissions of these trees were 

 in such reputation for clearing the air, and 

 resisting contagion, that during a pestilence 

 the physicians of the Emperor Claudius ad- 

 vised his court to be removed to Laurentium, 

 so celebrated for bay -trees ; and it has been 

 thought that this supposed virtue of the laurus 

 was an inducement for Pliny the younger to 



