THE VEGETABLE WORLD. 305 



present day half deserts. The cultivation of Clover, 

 requiring a moist atmosphere, has passed from Greece to 

 Italy, from thence to southern Germany, and already is 

 beginning to fly from the continually drier summers there, 

 to be confined to the moister North. Rivers which formerly 

 scattered their blessings with equal fulness throughout the 

 whole year, now leave the dry and thirsty bed to split and 

 gape in summer, while in spring they suddenly pour out 

 the masses of snow accumulated in winter, over the 

 dwelling-places of affrighted men. If the continued 

 clearing and destruction of forests is at first followed by 

 greater warmth, more southern climate and more luxuriant 

 thriving of the more delicate plants, yet it draws close 

 behind this desirable condition another, which restrains the 

 habitability of a region within as narrow, and perhaps even 

 narrower limits, than before. In Egypt, no Pythagoras 

 need now forbid his scholars to live upon the Beans ;* long 

 has that land been incapable of producing them. The 

 wine of Mendes and Mareotis, which inspired the guests 

 of Cleopatra, which was celebrated even by Horace it 

 grows no more. No assassin now finds the holy Pine- 

 grove of Poseidon, in which to hide and lie in ambush for 

 the singers hastening to the feast. The Pine has long 

 since retired before the invading desert-climate to the 

 heights of the Arcadian Mountains. Where are the pas- 

 tures now, where the fields around the holy citadel of 

 Dardanus, which at the foot of the richly-watered Ida sup- 

 ported 3000 mares ?f Who can talk now of the " Xanthus, 

 with its hurrying waves" ? j Who would understand now 

 the " Argos, feeder of horses" ? 



* Nelumbium speciosura. f Homer, Iliad, 20. 



J Ibid, 12, 310. 



20 



