1076 



upwards, on account of the misfortunes wliicb have befallen the tree, it has assumed 

 llie form of a hush, with dense and widely spreading foliage." — p. 68. 



Mr. Waterton planted ivy at the foot of many trees, " and refused 

 it to others in the immediate vicinity, and on the same soil," but a 

 minute inspection shows no difference in the appearance of the trees, 

 all being equally healthy and flourishing. He continues : — 



" Neither is this to be wondered at when we reflect that the ivy has its roots in the 

 ground itself, and that it does not ascend in spiral progress round the bole and branch- 

 es of the tree ; its leading shoot is perpendicular. Hence it is not in a condition to 

 compress injuriously the expansive powers of the tree, proportionally stronger than its 

 own. Thus we find that the ivy gradually gives way before them ; so that on remov- 

 ing the network (if it may be so called) which the ivy has formed on the bole of the 

 tree, we find no indentations there. 



" But woodbine acts the reverse of this. Its process is spiral, and it becomes, as it 

 were, an immovable hoop on the plant which it has embraced. As the woodbine, by its 

 circumambient position cannot give way, the plant must consequently protrude wher- 

 ever it is not compressed, till at last the woodbine becomes nearly buried in it. Thus 

 we account for the fantastic form of walking-sticks, which are often to be seen at the 

 shop doors of curious venders. The spiral hollows in these sticks are always formed 

 by the woodbine, never by the ivy." — p. 73. 



Before we conclude we must direct our readers' attention to one 

 thing which the author has much at heart. Mr. Waterton is exceed- 

 ingly anxious that trial should be made of the Wourali poison, in 

 cases of that dreadful and hitherto incurable malady — hydropJiohia. 

 He observes, that it is right to give the sufferer a chance of saving 

 his life by the application of an untried agent of great power, which, 

 even if it do not save life, would at least "render death calm and free 

 from pain." In cases of hydrophobia Mr. Waterton wishes that early 

 aplication should be made, either to himself, at Walton Hall, Wake- 

 field, Yorkshire ; or to Mr. Sibson, at the General Hospital, Notting- 

 ham. Such application " will be most punctually attended to." 



The few choice extracts we have culled from this delightful book, 

 will, we trust, have the effect of inducing our readers to aid the be- 

 nevolent design of the amiable Wanderer, by purchasing the volume 

 itself. To its pages we would refer for much pleasing matter relative 

 to the culture of the holly, the yew and the ivy; gigantic raspberries, 

 wild and cultivated, fourteen feet high ; quadrupeds, birds, scenery, 

 adventures by sea and land, both pleasant and perillous ; — all these 

 subjects, and numerous others, are graphically treated in the Essays, 

 and in the ' Continuation of the Autobiography of the Author ' there- 

 unto prefixed. And further, we would express a hearty hope, that the 

 accomplished author may be led to reconsider his determination, and 

 so favour us, at no distant period, with more of his delightful Essays; 



