Natural Hiftory of the Ancients. 257 



of liquid pearl ;" while as for the pearls of actual 

 daily life, 



" The gorgeous Eaft, with richeft hand, 

 Show'rs on her kings barbaric pearl and gold." 



And, faireft fcene of all, when Sabrina " com- 

 mended her innocence " to the Severn's flood : 



" The water nymphs that in the bottom played, 

 Held up their pearled wrifts and took her in." 1 



Who that has not feen them for himfelf, if he 

 loves to mufe near running water, hold up their 

 pearled wrifts as the long-fwaying treffes of the 

 water ranunculus, with their white bloffoms, rife 

 to the furface and again gracefully fink ? 



Pearls are only one item in the Jong lift of 

 woman's adornments which fo characteristically 

 call forth the anger of Burton : " Why do they 

 adorn themfelves with fo many colours of pearls, 

 fictitious flowers, curious needle-works, quaint 

 devices, fweet-fmelling odours, with thofe in- 

 eftimable riches of precious ftones, pearls, rubies, 

 diamonds, emeralds ? etc. Why do they crown 

 themfelves with gold and filver, ufe coronets and 

 tires of feveral fafhions, deck themfelves with 

 pendants, bracelets, ear-rings, chains, girdles, rings, 

 furs, fpangles, embroyderies, fhadows rebatoes, 

 verficolor ribbands? Why do they make fuch 

 glorious mows with their fcarfs, feathers, fans, 

 mafks, furs, laces, tiffanies, ruffs, falls, calls, cuffs, 

 damafks, velvets, tinfels, cloth of gold, filver tiffue?" 

 etc. And then the old mifogynift concludes: 



1 See "Par. Loft," iv. 238 ; ii. 4 ; " Comus," 834. 

 S 



