Nothing can shew more the Elegance of Metaphors, and their Agreement with Nature, than those that are taken from Men and living Creatures, and applied to Trees and Plants. For as these have a sort of Life ascrib'd to them (call'd the vegetative) and are really endued with it; the Transition is easy to Creatures of a higher Rank, that are endued with it in a more proper Sense. Hence we hear so often, not only among the Poets, but in Prose, and even in common Conversation, of Trees and Plants being alive or dead, healthy or sickly. Nay, often human Passions and Affections are attributed to them: Plants, in particular (to omit other Instances) are often said to love or hate this Soil or that. So Virgil, speaking of them,
[56] Sponte sua quæ se tollunt in luminis auras, Infœcunda quidem, sed læta, & fortia, surgunt.
Those which unbidden spring to upper Air, Steril, indeed, but strong and healthy rise.
And afterwards,
[57] Exuerint silvestrem animum, cultuque frequenti, In quascunque voces artes, haud tarda sequentur.
Will in Time unlearn Their salvage Temper, and not slow obey With frequent Culture, what your Art commands.
Again, in the same Book,
[58] Inque novos soles audent se gramina tuto Credere, nec metuit surgentes pampinus Austros.
To new Suns the Herbs Dare trust themselves; nor aught the tender Vine From rising Auster fears.
There are many other Metaphors of different Kinds, which tho' they may seem, as indeed they are, a little of the boldest, yet are agreeable to Nature, and true Elegance. As that of Virgil,