THE HOLLY. 89 



lecled by man for the protection of his 

 cultivated plants, and formed into hedges 

 impenetrable to all the foes of the garden. 

 Were it not for its flow growth, no native 

 of this climate would be preferred to the 

 holly for this purpofe. Mr. Evelyn fpeaks 

 with rapture upon this fubjecl. " Is there," 

 fays he, " under heaven a more glorious 

 and refrefhing object of the kind, than 

 an impregnable hedge of about four hun- 

 dred feet in length, nine feet high, and 

 five in diameter, which I can fliovv in my 

 now ruined gardens at Say's Court, at any 

 time of the year, glittering with its armed 

 and varnifhed leaves j the taller flandards 

 at orderly diflances, blufhing with their 

 natural coral ? It mocks the rudeft af- 

 faults of the weather, beads, or hedge- 

 breakers, Et ilium nemo impune laceffit" 



By the Ikill of the gardener numerous 

 varieties are derived from the common or 

 wild holly, diftinguifhed by the variegations 

 of their leaves, and difpofition of their 

 prickles. Some of thefe are very curious 

 and beautiful, and afford rich ornaments to 



a fiirub- 



