58 SYLVA FL0R1FERA. 



nicipality of Prelly formerly held their com- 

 mon council, seating themselves on the roots 

 which have elevated themselves above the 

 earth, as it were to form a natural bench for 

 the justice of these simple people. This linden- 

 tree is visited by all who make the tour of 

 Switzerland, and many a traveller exclaims 

 with Langhorne : 



" O let me still with simple nature live, 



My lowly field flowers on her altar lay, 

 Enjoy the blessings that she meant to give, 

 And calmly waste my inoffensive day !" 



We have already noticed that the linden 

 was one of the papyraceous trees of the an- 

 cients. Munting affirms he saw a book made 

 of the inner bark of this tree, which had 

 been written about a thousand years ; and 

 there is a similar one in the library at Vienna, 

 which contains a work of Cicero, De Ordi- 

 nanda Republics et de inveniendis Orationum 

 exordiis. It was formerly amongst the varie- 

 ties of Cardinal Mazarine, and which the 

 Count of St. Amant, then governor of Arras, 

 1662, procured for the Emperor at the price 

 of eight thousand ducats, which, if silver 

 ducats, would amount to 1800/., and if gold, 

 3800/. 



Pliny tells us, that in ancient times fillets 

 or ribands for chaplets were also made of 



