328 SYLVA FLORIFERA. 



With more than female sweetness in his look, 

 Whom, straggling in the neighboring fields he took. 

 With fumes of wine the little captive glows, 

 And nods with sleep, and staggers as he goes.'* 



It is but natural to ^suppose that the god 

 who presided over their wine should be a 

 favourite image, and that they should there- 

 fore hold the ivy in superstitious reverence. 

 It was pretended by them that a cup formed 

 of the wood of ivy, would prove the purity of 

 wine, which, by means of its pores, would con- 

 sume the wine, and leave the rejected water 

 in the vase, free from mixture. 



It is singular that the ancients should select 

 a crown for the god of wine from a plant to 

 which the wine is said to have so strong an 

 antipathy. 



" The prudent will observe what passions reign 

 In various plants (for not to man alone, 

 But all the wide creation, nature gave 

 Love and aversion). Everlasting hate 

 The vine to ivy bears." 



It is easy to make ourselves acquainted with 

 those supposed antipathies of plants, as by 

 attending to nature we should find, that two 

 climbing plants cannot well exist on the same 

 spot ; their roots being of a similar nature, 

 would defraud each other of their natural 

 nourishment, and the prop which they seek 



