EARLY HISTORY OF THE VINE. 1 1 



vineyard. " And Noah began to be an husbandman and he 

 planted a vineyard;" thus plainly indicating that the planting a 

 vineyard was even at that early day, deemed one of the primary 

 and most important acts of him who tilled the earth. It is 

 equally certain from this circumstance, that vineyards must 

 have existed and been objects of particular attention before the 

 deluge, otherwise Noah could not have possessed the knowledge, 

 and made their formation one of the first acts after his miracu^ 

 lous preservation, and restoration to the pursuits of husbandry, 

 it being one of the principal duties of Noah to communicate to 

 mankind the knowledge possessed before the flood. 



Among the blessings held out to the Israelites as productions 

 of the promised land, the vine is particularly mentioned, " a 

 land of wheat and barley and vines;" and the spies which were 

 sent into the land of Canaan to ascertain its riches, on their 

 return bore a cluster of grapes on a girdle between them. The 

 vine is also frequently mentioned by the ancient patriarchs and 

 fathers, as a type or emblem by which to represent the riches 

 of a country, or the flourishing condition of a nation, tribe, or 

 family, " Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt" &tc. Psalm 

 Ixxx. " Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine" &LC. Solo- 

 mon also speaks of its power to gladden the heart, and to 

 banish sorrow ; and " generous wine" has been for ages 

 deemed a fit oblation for fallen man to offer to the Deity, and 

 to mingle in the sacred offerings of his homage. 



Even among the heathen nations of antiquity, the vine was 

 held in the highest esteem and veneration. The invention of 

 wine was ascribed by the ancient Egyptians to Osiris, by the 

 Latins to Saturn, and the Greeks elevated Bacchus to the 

 rank of a deity, for having brought the vine from Arabia Felix ; 

 and after first cultivating it himself, he transmitted it to every 

 country which submitted to his conquests, and taught its 

 use and value to man. He is represented by Pliny to have 

 been the first who ever wore a crown, and as the god of vin- 

 tage and of wine, his crown is formed of the vine ; and its 

 twining branches bedecked with clusters of fruit, is still selected 

 as an emblem to indicate hilarity and gladness. Tvvpn the; 



