( 9' ) 



as to equal in beauty the moft elegant ftone- 

 pine. 



All trees indeed, crouded together, naturally 

 rife in perpendicular items : but the fir has 

 this peculiar difadvantage, that it's lateral 

 branches, once injured, never fhoot again. 

 A grove of crouded faplins, elms, beeches, 

 or almoft of any deciduous trees, when thinned, 

 will throw out new lateral branches ; and in 

 time recover a ftate of beauty : but if the 

 education of the fir has been neglected, he 

 is loft for ever. 



Some of the moft picturefque trees of this 

 kind perhaps in England, adorn Mr. Lenthall's 

 deferted, and ruinous manfion of Bafilfleigh 

 in Berkshire . The foil is a deep, but rich 

 fand ; which feems to be adapted to them. 

 And as they are here at perfect liberty, they 

 not only become large, and noble trees - y but 

 expand themfelves likewife in all the carelefs 

 forms of nature. Very noble Scotch firs alfo 

 may be feen at Thirkleby near Thirfk in York- 

 mire. Nor has any man, I think, a right to 

 depreciate the Scotch fir, till he has feen 

 it in a perfect ftate of nature. 



The 



