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of Oxfordfhire*, fpeaks of certain knotty ex- 

 crefcences in the afh, called the brufca y and 

 mollufca, which when cut, and polifhed, are 

 very beautiful. He particularly mentions a 

 dining table, made of the latter, which repre- 

 fents the exact figure of a fifh. 



With regard to thefe exaft figures of animals, 

 and other objects, which we meet with both 

 in flone, and wood, I cannot fay I mould 

 value them much as objects of beauty. They 

 may be whimfical, and curious ; but in my 

 opinion, the roots, and veins of wood, and 

 ftone, are much more beautiful, when they 

 are wreathed in different fantaftic forms ; 

 than when they feem to aim at any exatf 

 figures. In the former cafe they leave the 

 imagination at liberty to play among them ; 

 which is always a plealing exercife to it : 

 in the latter, they are at befl awkward, and 

 unnatural likeneffes , which often difguft the 

 picturefque eye ; and always pleafe it lefs, 



than following it's own fancy, and picking 



out refemblances of it's own. 



Another curiofity in the afh, which is 



likewife of the picturefque kind, is a fort of 



* Chap. vi. fee. So. 



excrefcence, 



