fi. 49 9 
that old, extenfive, famous nurfery of oaks, the 
New Foreft. ‘“ Many parts of it are now in a ftate 
“* of extreme decay, being overfpread merely with 
«* holmes, underwood, and ftunted trees, which, in 
“the memory of man, were full of excellent oak.” ¢ 
“ Setborn wood { was once the nobleft of all foreft 
“ {cenes, the grandeur and number of its oaks were 
“ the admiration of all who faw them; but its glo- 
“ ries are now over, it contains little more at pre- 
* fent than fhrubs, underwood, and blafted trees.” 
“Ina few years Norley-wood§ will vanifh; the 
“ wood-cutters have entered it.” 
. © Denny-wood || has once been a noble {cene, but 
it is now ftripped of its principal honours, and 
“ confifts chiefly of beech, with a few decrepid 
“ oaks {traggling among them.” 
It is not in thefe woods alone, but far and wide 
the foreft fcenes exhibit devaftation, the new en- 
clofures only excepted, where the timber ftands 
and fpoils, for want of timely and judicious thinning. 
“ This foreft, at the firft appointment of a pur= 
“ veyor in 1666,* did fend five hundred oaks and 
“ fifty beeches annually to the dock-yards, and 
*‘ continued fo to do, till being found unequal to 
“the tafk, the number became reduced to fixty 
i EEE _ 
¢ Gilpin’s Foreft Scenery, vol. ii. p. 35. 
t Ditto, p. 105. § Dittoy p. 153. 
|| Ditto, p. 148. * Ditto, p. 22. 
VOL. VII. E . ** oaks 
