BRAMBLE. 



verdure in the great heat of summer, as well as in the severe 

 frosts of winter, and demands little care from the gardener 

 for years, until, as in some soils, it grows too high and too 

 thick to be pleasing. Then it needs to be taken up, sub- 

 divided, and re-planted. It was much admired by the 

 Romans, by whom the taller-growing kinds were cut into 

 grotesque forms, to resemble men, animals, &c. It is a tree 

 which appears to be unchanged by time ; hence it well repre- 

 sents that stoicism which, according to Zeno, distinguishes 

 the wise man, who is not moved either by joy, grief, or any 

 other passion, and who looks upon all events as ruled by 

 inevitable necessity. 



The wood of the Box-tree is highly valuable, especially in 

 the estimation of the lover of knowledge, for the facility 

 which it gives to artists to convey pictorial lessons in every 

 branch of science, whereby the meaning of a writer is ren- 

 dered more precise and exact to the reader ; it is also 

 useful for many other purposes, which are too numerous to 

 mention here. 



THE BRAMBLE {Rnlms fniticosns).—Y.^\\. 



The Bramble is very well known to us, growing every- 

 where in our woods and hedges. Its long trailing prickly 

 stems throw themselves outwards from the hedges, by our 

 road-sides and footpaths, and now and then lay hold of the 

 loose parts of the garments of pedestrians, who cannot readi1\' 

 release themselves. On tliis account we have licard tliese 



