Epistolæ Ho-elianæ familiar letters domestic and forren divided into sundry sections, partly historicall, politicall, philosophicall, vpon emergent occasions / by James Howell.

XXIV. To Dr. Fr. Mansell, from Valentia.

SIR,

THough it be the same glorious Sun that shines upon you in England, which illuminats also this part of the Hemi∣sphear; though it be the same Sun that ripeneth your Pippins, and our Pomgranets, your Hops, and our Vineyards here, yet he dis∣penseth his heat in different degrees of strength; those Rays that do but warm you in England, do half roast us here; those Beams that irradiat onely, and guild your Honey-suckled fields, do scorch and parch this chinky gaping soyl, and so put too many wrincles

upon the face of our common Mother the Earth. O blessed Clime, O happy England, wher ther is such a rare temperature of hear and cold, and all the rest of Elementary qualities, that one may passe (and suffer little) all the yeer long without either shade in Summer, or fire in Winter.

I am now in Valentia, one of the noblest Cities of all Spain, situ∣at in a large Vegue or Valley, above threescore miles compasse; here are the strongest Silks, the sweetest Wines, the excellenc'st Almonds, the best Oyls, and beutifull'st Femals of all Spain, for the prime Courtisans in Madrid, and else-where are had hence: The very bruit Animals make themselves Beds of Rosmary, and other Fragrant Flowers hereabouts; and when one is at Sea, if the Wind blow from the shore, he may smell this soyl before he come in sight of it many leagues off, by the strong odoriferous sent it casts; As it is the most pleasant, so is it also the temperat'st Clime of all Spain, and they commonly call it the second Italy, which made the Moors, whereof many thousands were disterr'd and banish'd hence to Barbary, to think that Paradise was in that part of the Heavens which hung over this City. Some twelve miles off, is old Sagun•…•…o, call'd now Morvied•…•…e, through which I pass'd, and saw many Monuments of Roman Antiquities there, amongst others, ther is the Temple dedicated to Venus, when the Snake came about her Neck, a little before Hannibal came thither. No more now, but that I heartily wish you were here with me, and I beleeve you would not desire to be a good while in England. So I am

Your J. H.

Valentia, March the 1. 1620.