TrE2 
The Natural Hiftory of the Book IV, 
© ftis evident from the Hiftory of Mofes, that this Tree was of great 
Walue and Efteem among the J/raelites. This appears from the {everal 
Portraitures of it in the Temple, even in the mott facred Place. 
Several Cities in Paleffine were likewife called the Cities of the Paln- 
trees, efpecially Yericho: And Deborah, when the judged [/rael, dwelt 
under the Palm-tree, between Ramah and Bethel. 
Thefe, and the Olive-trees, were of great Efteem ; becaufe they afforded 
fuch a Quantity of Oil, which was of fo much Service, both in facred 
and common Ufe. ; 
As to the Firft, the Nature of my Subject will neither require, or even 
permit me to fearch into the Origin of that Cuftom. As to the latter, 
we have numberlefs Inftances to prove, that the Zews mixed it with Flour, 
to make, at leaft, their unleavened Bread ; efpecially from the Anfwer of 
the Widow-woman of Sarepta to the Prophet E/jah, when he defired 
her, in the time of Famine, to fupply him with a Cake of Bread : And 
foe faid, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a Cake, but an Handful of 
Meal in a Barrel, and a little Oil in a Crufe: And, behold, I am gather- 
ing two Sticks, that I may go in and drefs it for me, and my Son, that we 
may eat it, and die, 1 Kings xvii. 12. 
Neither was this the only domeftic Ufe of Oil among the antient "ews; 
: for they, made great Ufe of it to anoint their Bodies, which is plain from 
feveral Expreflions of the Royal Pfalmift; efpecially when he fays, That 
he fhall be anointed with frefo Oil : And in another Place, after enume- 
rating the feveral temporal Bleflings received from God, he mentions that 
of Oi/ to make his Face to fhine. 
The Inhabitants of -4/rica, where Palm Oil-trees abundantly grow, 
are living Comments upon thefe Two Parts of Scripture; for, to this 
Day, they mix Oil with their boiled Rice, and other Vidtuals ; and anoint 
their Bodies with it, to fupple and relax their ftiffened Nerves, as well as 
to prevent a too plentiful Perfpiration. 
‘This is fo univerfal a Cuftom, that all the Slaves, brought now from 
any Part of Africa to this, or any of our neighbouring Iflands, are always, 
before they are brought to Market, anointed all over with Palm Oil, 
which, for that Purpofe, is brought from Gwimey: Being thus anointed, | 
their Skins appear fleek and fhining. 
_ This Cuftom, however, was not peculiar, even in the earlieft Ages, to 
the Yews alone ; for the Perfians, Greeks, and Romans, at certain Seafons, 
efpecially at their Feafts, anointed themfelves with Oil, which was mixed 
with Spices. 
Alexander, when he took the Tent of Darius, found there feveral 
Caskets of Ointments and Perfumes. 
- Many Inftances from Homer make it evident, that it was then in Ufe: 
And the warlike Spartans, at the Streights of Thermopylae, are reprefented 
combing their anointed Hair, in Sight of the numerous Army of Xerxes. 
And that it was a Cuftom among the Romans, will appear from the 
_ following Paflages : Lyrrhena 
