352 OCTOBER. 



Druid cut down the bough of misletoe, and per- 

 formed the horrible ceremonies of his religion. 

 The philosophers of Greece resorted to groves, 

 as schools the most august and befitting the 

 delivery of their sublime precepts. In the 

 depths of woods did anchorites seek to forget 

 the world, and to prepare their hearts for the 

 purity of heaven. To lovers and poets they 

 have ever been favourite haunts ; and the poets 

 by making them the scenes and subjects of 

 their most beautiful fictions and descriptions, 

 have added to their native charms a thousand 

 delightful associations. Ariosto, Tasso, Spenser, 

 Shakspeare, and Milton, have sanctified them 

 to the hearts of all generations. What a world 

 of magnificent creations comes swarming upon 

 the memory as we wander in woods ! The 

 gallant knights and beautiful dames, the magi- 

 cal castles and hippogriffs of the Orlando ; the 

 enchanted forest, the Armida and Erminia of 

 the Gerusalemma Liberata ; " Fair Una with 

 her milk-white lamb," and all the satyrs, Archi- 

 mages, the fair Florimels and false Duessas of 

 the Faery Queene ; Ariel and Caliban, Jaques 

 and his motley fool in Arden, the fairies of the 

 Midsummer-Night's Dream, Oberon, Titania, 



