122 
GENIUS. 
few exotics of other sorts were at that time 
to be found. It has been likened to a gene¬ 
rous friend, who is ever loading us with fa¬ 
vours. 
GENIUS. 
PLANE TREE. 
The plane tree has been appropriated as 
the symbol of genius, because the ancient 
Athenian philosophers generally held their 
discourses, or retired to study under the 
agreeable shade of its wide spreading branches, 
for which it was greatly esteemed at Athens. 
Xerxes is said to have been so attracted by 
the charms of a plane tree, that he caused his 
army of 1,700,000 men to halt, while he 
adorned the tree with all his jewels, and with 
those of his concubines, and the principal 
lords of his court, until the branches were 
loaded with ornaments of every kind. He 
called it his mistress and his goddess ; and it 
was with difficulty that he was persuaded to 
leave the tree of which he had become so ex¬ 
traordinarily enamoured. He commanded 
its figure to be struck on a gold medal, which 
he constantly wore. Herodotus relates, that 
he raised a golden fence around it, and ap¬ 
pointed one of his guards to protect it. 
