poplar, is more eafily put in motion by a breath 

 of air. The weeping willow however is not 

 adapted to fublime fubjects. We wifh it not 

 to fkreen the broken buttrefles, and Gothic 

 windows of an abbey, nor to overfhadow the 

 battlements of a ruined caftle. Thefe offices it 

 refigns to the oak j whofe dignity can fupport 

 them. The weeping willow feeks a humbler 

 fcene fome romantic foot-path bridge, which 

 it half conceals or fome glafly pool, over 

 which it hangs its ftreaming foliage ; 



and dips 



Its pendent boughs, Hooping as if to drink. 



In thefe fituations it appears in character ; and 

 of courfe, to advantage. I have heard indeed 

 that the weeping willow is not naturally an 

 aquatic plant; but its being commonly be- 

 lieved to be fo, is ground enough to eftablifh 

 it as fuch, in landfcape at leaft, if not in 

 botany. 



The weeping willow is the only one of its 

 tribe, that is beautiful. Botanifts, I believe, 

 enumerate fixteen fpecies of the willow. Some 

 of them, I have feen attain a very remarkable 

 fize. I remember feeing one in a meadow 

 near Witham in EfTex, which fpread over a 



fpace 



