ON THE HAWTHORN. 269 



have occasion for every aid that either art or nature can furnish 

 us with. The scenery of a garden should differ as much from 

 common nature, as an heroic poem doth from a prose relation ; 

 and gardeners, like poets, should give a loose to their imagina- 

 tion, and even fly beyond the bounds of truth, whenever it is ne- 

 cessary to elevate, to embellish, to enliven, or.to add novelty to 

 their subject. 



The usual method of distributing gardens in China, is to con- 

 trive a great variety of scenes, to. be seen from certain points' 

 at which are placed seats or buildings, adapted to the different 

 purposes of mental or sensual enjoyments. The perfection of 

 their gardens consists in their number and diversity of these 

 scenes; and in the artfal combination of their parts; which they 

 endeavour to dispose in such a manner, as not only separately to 

 appear to the best advantage, but also to unite in forming an ele- 

 gant and striking whole. 



(To be continue d.) 





ARTICLE II. 

 ON THE CRATAEGUS OXYaNTIIA AND ITS VARIETIES. 



BY MR. JAMES SMITH, ABERDEEN. 



The garland of Flora does not possess a more charming blossom 

 than this British hedge beauty ; nor do the most luxurious spices 

 of Asia, give a more grateful perfume than this sweet flowering 

 shrub presents. 



It is said that the hawthorn flowers, not only regale the spi- 

 rits by their odour, but that they have the power also of counter- 

 acting poison. It has been made the happy emblem of hope, be- 

 cause the young and beautiful Athenian girls brought branches 

 of hawthorn flowers, to decorate their companions and friends on 

 their wedding day ; whilst they carried large boughs of it to the 

 altar. The altar of Hymen was lighted with torches made of the 

 wood of this tree, and it formed also the flambeau which lighted 

 the nuptial chamber. 



Diodorus, a Sicilian historian, who flourished about forty years 

 before the Christian era, tells us the Troglodites, when they in- 

 terred the corpses of their friends and parents, tied branches of 

 hawthorn U> their bodies: and then, laughing, strewed the body 

 Jirst with the branches of this shrub, and afterwards with stones, 



