fuch trees were common, they would recover 

 the character of the yew-tree among the ad- 

 mirers of picturefque beauty. 



But tho we mould be able to eftablifh it's 

 beauty with refpect to form, and foliage; 

 there remains one point ftill, which we mould 

 find it hard to combat. It's colour unfortu- 

 nately gives offence. It's dingy, funerial hue, 

 people fay, makes it fit only for a church- 

 yard. 



This objection, I hope, I have already 

 anfwered in defending the colour of the Scotch 

 fir *. An attachment to colour, as fuch, feems 

 to me, an indication of falfe tafle. Hence arife 

 the numerous abfurdities of gaudy decoration. 

 In the fame manner, a diflike to any particular 

 colour mews a fqueamimnefs, which mould 

 as little be encouraged. Indeed, when you have 

 only one colour to deal with, as in painting, 

 the wainfcot of your room, the eye properly 

 enough gives a preference to fome foft, plea- 

 fant tint, in oppofition to a glaring, bold one : 

 but when colours act in concert, (as is the 

 cafe in all fcenery,) red, blue, yellow, light 

 green, or dingy green, are all alike. The 



* See page 89. 



virtue 



