Gallery of Nature and Art; Or, a Tour Through Creation and Science, Comprising New and Entertaining Descriptions ... and Various Wonderful and Stupend (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1823 edition. Excerpt: ...Fig, has a woody stem, branching to a great height and prodigious extent, with heart-shaped entire leaves, ending in acute points. Milton, in his Paradise Lost, has thus beautifully described this wonderful plant: "---Both together went Into the thickest wood; there soon they chose The fig-tree; not of that kind for fruit renown d, But such as at this day to Indians known In Malabar or Deccan, spreads her arms, Branching so broad and long, that in the ground The bended twigs take root, and daughters grow About the mother tree; a pillar d shade High over-arched, and echoing walks between. There oft the Indian hcrdsman, shunning heat, Shelters in cool, and tends his pasturing herds, At loop-holes cut through thickest shade. Some of these trees are of amazing size and great extent, as they are continually increasing, and, contrary to most other things, seem to be exempted from decay; every branch from the main body throws out its own roots; at first in small tender fibres, several yards from the ground: these continually grow thicker until they reach the surface, and there striking in, they increase to large trunks, and become parent-trees, shooting out new branches from the top; which in time, suspend their roots, and swelling into trunks, produce other branches; thus continuing in a state of progression, as long as the earth furnishes room and sustenance. Near these trees, the most esteemed pagodas are built, and under their shade the Brahmins spend their lives in religious soli tude: while the natives in general, recreate themselves in the cool recesses, beautiful walks, and lovely vistas of this umbrageous canopy. A remarkable tree of this kind grows on an island in the river Nerbudda, in the province of Guzarat....