no naturalift can explain. I fent fome of the 

 leaves to one of the ableft botanifts we have 

 had, the late Mr. Lightfoot, author of the 

 Flora Scotica ; and was in hopes of hearing 

 fomething fatisfactory on the fubjeft. But he 

 was one of thofe philofophers, who was never 

 afhamed of ignorance, where attempts at know- 

 ledge are mere conjecture. He afTured me, 

 that he neither could account for it in any way ; 

 nor did he know of any other inftance of pre- 

 mature vegetation, except the Glaftonbury- 

 thorn. 



The philofophers of the foreft^ in the mean 

 time, account for the thing at once, through 

 the influence of old Chriftmas-day ; univer- 

 fally believing that the oak buds on that 

 day, and that only. The fame opinion is 

 held with regard to the Glaftonbury-thorn 

 by the common people of the weft of 

 England. But without doubt, the germi- 

 nation there is gradual; and forwarded, or 

 retarded by the mildnefs, or feverity of the 

 weather. One of it's progeny, which grew 

 in the gardens of the duchefs dowager of 

 Portland, at Bulftrode, had it's flower-buds 

 perfectly formed, fo early, as the 2ift of 



december, 



