F O R E S T - T R E K S. 163 



growth has a very pldlurefque appearance without ob{lru6lmg 

 the view, and thek dark-green leaves make a moft agreeable 

 contrail with the white of the building. The Italian villas owe 

 no fmall part of their beauty to the proper diilribution of many 

 Cyprefs trees, adjoining to the temples and other ornamental 

 works of architedure in their gardens, as we fee by the land- 

 fcapes of thofe villas. 



Like that of the Cedar, many are the encomiums bellowed, 

 both by antient and modern writers, on the virtues of this tree, 

 and the excellency of its wood, a few of which only fhall here 

 be mentioned. It is recommended for the improvement of the 

 air, and a fpecific for the lungs, as fending forth great quanti- 

 ties of aromatic and balfamic emilTions ; for which reafon, the 

 antient phyficians of the Eaftern countries ufed to fend their pa- 

 tients troubled with weak lungs to the ifland of Candia, at that 

 time abounding with thefe trees, where, from the effects of the 

 air alone, few failed of a perfecfl cure. The vaft armadas v\?hich 

 Alexander the Great fet out from Babylon, coniifted only of Cy- 

 prefs, as did the doors of St Peter's church at Rome, which lailed 

 from Conilantine the Great to Pope Eugenius the IVth's time, 

 eleven hundred years, and being then changed for gates of brafs, 

 were found entirely frefh. It was in coffins of Cyprefs the A- 

 thenians ufed to bury their heroes, and the Mummy chefts 

 brought from Egypt are moflly of this material. That lafling 

 bridge, built by Semiramis over the Euphrates was of it, and 

 Plato chofe to write his laws on it, in preference to brafs itfelf, 

 for its diuturnity. In fhort, it is by all writers allowed to be a 

 mofl valuable timber, is proof againft all putrefaction, and the 

 very chips or cones of it, being burnt, extinguifli moths, and ex- 

 pel gnats and flies, . 



X 2 



