( 26 ) 



is rather undiftinguifhing, during it's early 

 growth, while it's horizontal fibres ftraggle 

 about the furface of the earth j yet when it's 

 tap-root begins to enter the depths of the 

 foil, perhaps no tree is nicer in it's difcrimi- 

 nations. If it's conftitution be not fuited here, 

 it may multiply it's progeny indeed, and pro- 

 duce a thriving copfe ; but the puny race 

 will never rife to lordly dignity in the foreft, 

 nor furnifh navies to command the ocean*. 



The particular, and moft valued qualities 

 of the ; oak, are hardinefs and toughnefs. Shake- 

 fpear ufes two epithets to exprefs thefe qualities, 

 which are perhaps ftronger than any we can 

 find. 



Thou rather with thy fharp, and fulph'rous bolt 

 Split'ft the unnuedgeable, and gnarled oak, 

 Than the foft myrtle 



* How quickly the oak vegetates in a foil it likes, maybe feen 



from the following inftance. An acorn was fown at Beckett, 



the feat of Lord Barrington, on the day of his biith in 1 717. In 

 November 1790, it contained 95 feet of timber, which, at 2S. per 

 foot, would fell for 9!. IDS. the top was valued at about il. 155. 

 the girt, at 5 feet from the ground, was about half an inch more 

 than 8 feet. The increafe of the girt, in the two laft years, was 4 

 inches and an half. It grows in rich land, worth il. 55. an acre. 



Many 



