The Ladies Delight | Page 4

fruits of the Ficus sylvestris in which case the succus also
has lost both its colour and vertue; and the tree itself has so much partaken of the nature
of the venomous shrub that had hurt it, that itself has become venomous, and spread the
poison through a whole Plantation.
These distempers of a tree of the greatest use and value, have employ'd the labours of the
most eminent Botanists and Gardeners, to seek out remedies for them: In which, however,
none have succeeded like the celebrated Dr. Misaubin
who from his profound knowledge
in Botany has composed a most elaborate work upon all the things that can happen, both

to the Arbor Vitae_ and _Vulvaria also: There he has taught a certain cure for all these
evils; and, what is most wonderful, has even found out a way of making the most
venomous Vulvaria itself wholesome, which he practises daily, to the satisfaction of all
that apply to him.
These venomous Vulvaria are but too common in most gardens about London_; there are
many in St. _James's Park, and more in the celebrated gardens at Vaux-hall over the
water.
The_ NAMES _and VIRTUES.
Besides the common name of Arbor Vitae, a very learned Philosopher and great Divine
would have it call'd, Arbor Scientiae boni & mali; believing, upon very good grounds,
this is the tree which grew in the middle of the garden of Eden, and whose fruits were so
alluring to our first mother. Others would have it call'd the Mandrake_ of _Leah,
persuaded it is the same whose juice made the before barren Rachel a joyful mother of
children.
The learned Madame D'Acier_ in her notes upon _Homer contends it should be called
Nepenthes. She gives many reasons why it certainly is that very plant, whose fruits the
Egyptian queen recommended to Helen, as a certain cure for pain and grief of all sorts,
and which She ever after kept by her as her most precious jewel, and made use of as a
Panacaea upon all occasions.
The great Dr. Bentley_ calls it more than once _Machaera Herculis, having proved out of
the fragments of a Greek Poet, that of this tree was made that club with which the hero is
said to have overcome the fifty wild daughters of Thespius_, but which Queen _Omphale
afterwards reduced to a distaff. Others have thought the celebrated Hesperian trees were
of this sort; and the very name of Poma Veneris, frequently given by Authors to the fruits
of this tree, is a sufficient proof these were really the Apples for which three Goddesses
contended in so warm a manner, and to which the Queen of beauty had undoubtedly the
strongest title.
The vertues are so many, a large volume might be wrote of them. The juice taken
inwardly cures the green-sickness and other infirmities of the like sort, and is a true
specific in most disorders of the fair sex. It indeed often causes tumours in the umbilical
region; but even those being really of no ill consequence, disperse of themselves in a few
Months.
It chears the heart, and exhilarates the mind, quiets jars, feuds and discontents, making
the most churlish tempers surprizingly kind and loving. Nor have private persons only
been the better for this reconciling vertue, but whole states and kingdoms, nay, the
greatest empires in the world have often received the benefit of it; the most destructive
wars have been ended, and the most friendly treaties been produced, by a right
application of this universal medicine among the chief of the contending parties.
If any person is desirous to see this excellent and wonderful plant in good perfection, he
may meet with it at the aforementioned Mr Bowen's garden at
Lambeth_, who calls it

_The Silver-Spoon Tree; and is at all times ready to oblige his friends with the sight of it.
THE Ridotto al' Fresco, A POEM.
What various Arts attempts the am'rous Swain,
To force the Fair, or her Consent to
gain--
Now Balls_, now _Masquerades his Care employ,
And Play and Park
alternately give Joy--
Industrious H----gg----r, whose magick Brains
Still in their
Shell the Recipe retains
Like some good Midwife brings the Plot to light
And helps
the lab'ring Swain to Celia's Sight;
For this his Eunuchs in high Buskins tread--
And
chaunt harmonious Lays for this,--and Bread;
For this the Assembly's fix'd; and the
huge Dome
Swells with the Lady's Vows, when the Stake's gone.--
For this he forms
the vicious Masquerade,
Where Damsels may securely drive their Trade,
For which
the Salesman, Chandler, Chairmen loudly pray,
And Pickpockets too, hail the joyful
Day--
But now what Tongue can praise the mighty Worth,
Who to Ridotto_ gave an _English
Birth;
To him let every Templar bend the Knee,
Receive a Ticket, and give up the Fee:

Let Drury-Lane eternal Columns raise,
And every wanton Wife resound his Praise;

Let Courtiers with implicit Faith