OF FOREST-TREES. 591

I confess Quint ilian leems much to question whether such places do Ch_ap_ I.not rather perturb and distract from an Orators * Recollection, and thedepths of Contemplation: Non tamen (fays he) prottms andtendt, * Seethuqui ere dun t aptijjima in hoc nemora , Jihas que , quod ilia cœli lister--^tas, locorumque amœnitas , fublimcm animum, (s beatiorem fpiritum aG^r-Epistiefarent : Mihi certe jucundus hie magis, quamsiudiorum hortater vi-detur ejf'e fecejfus: Namq-, ilia ipfa qu<£ deledlant, necejse est avocent It

ab intentione operis deft in at i: He proceeds, —- -Gpuare Silvarum

amænitas, (§ prater labentia flumina t & inspirantes ramis arbor urnaura, volucrumque cantus (§ ipfa late circumfpiciendi libertas, ad fetrahunt ; ut mihi remitterepotius voluptas ifta videatnr cogitationem ,quam intendere. But this is only his singular suffrage, which as con-scious of his Error , we loon hear him retract, when he is by and byas loud in its Praises, as the Tlaces in the World the best fitted for thediviner Rhetoric of Foetry: But let us admit another to cast in his Tacitus.Symbol for Groves: Nemora ( fays he) & Luci, & secret um ipsum ,tantam mihi afferunt voluptatem, ut inter prœcipuos Carminum fru-Ptus numerem, quod nec in.sirepitn, nec fedente ante oftium litigatore,nee inter for des dr lacrymas reorum componuntur: SedJecedit animuslocapura , at que innoccntia, fruiturque fedibus Sacris.

Whether this were the effect of the incomparable younger Pliny's Ep ji*

Epistle to this noble Historian, I know not; but to strew him by his TacL.

own Example how Study and Forest-Jport may consist together, hetells him how little the Noise of the Chafers and bawling TOogs distur-bed him, when 'at any time he indulged himself that healthful Diver-sion : u So far was he from being idle , and losing time, that beside his" Javelin and tJunting-Fole, he never omitted to carry his Style and" Table-Book with him, that upon any intermission, whilst he now and" then fat by the Toil and Nets, he might be ready to note down any" Noble Thought , which might otherwise escape him: The very mo-" tions ( fays he) and agitation of the Body in the Wood and Solitude,

" Magna cogitationis incit amenta flint: I know, my Friend (lays he)

" you’ll smile at it, however take my Counsel; Be sure never to ear-" ry your Bottle and Bisque into the Field, without your Fugzllares“ and Tablet ; you’ll find as well Minerva as Toiana in the Woods and" Mountains. ,>

And indeed the Foets thought of no other Heaven upon Earth, or .elsewhere; for when Anc hi fe s was setting forth the Felicity of the o-ther Life to his Son, the most lively Description he could make of itwas to tell him,

* *- —We dwell in Jhady Groves.

And that when Æneas had travelled far to find thole happy Abodes,

b They came to Groves, of happy Souls the Rest ,

To Ever-greens, the Towellings of the Blest-

Such a Prospect he gives us of his Elyfium ; and therefore wife andgreat Persons had always these sweet Opportunities of Recess, their

a ____Lucis habitamus opacis.

b Dcvenere locos lætos, & amœna virctaFortunatorum Ncmorum, Scdesque beatas.

2

TOomos