CORYLA'CE^E, ^UE'rCUS. 



1793 



" But while," continues Mr. Strutt, " as an entire object, these curved lines 

 are sufficient to express the general peculiarity of the outline of the oak, as 

 well as the larger masses of its foliage, when we come to examine tiie tree 

 more closely, and in detail, we find that a greater variety of line must be 

 adopted to display its singular proportions, so indicative of energy and bold- 

 ness. The trunk and limbs are characterised by their amazing strength, and 

 by their comparative shortness and crookedness ; and the branches, by their 

 numerous contortions and abru[)t angles, and by the great variety which they 

 exhibit of straight and crooked lines ; and by their frequent tendency to a 

 horizontal direction. These striking peculiarities are exemplified mfig. 1635." 



" Not unfrequently, however, the forms of the limbs and branches are en- 

 tirely concealed by the exuberancy of foliage, as is the case in the Bounds 

 Park Oak, and more particularly in that magnificent living canopy — nulli 

 penetrabilis astro, impervious to the day, — the Chandos Oak, at Southgate, 

 [see p. 1763.], which, although not exactly a painter's tree, is unquestionably 

 imrivalled for regular beauty and plenitude of shade. The oak, also, is oc- 

 casionallv found to present an extremely graceful and pleasing figure, as is 



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