8 T*he Natural History of Selborne 



in the diameter. This elm I mention to show to what a bulk 

 planted elms may attain ; as this tree must certainly have 

 been such from its situation. 



In the centre of the village, and near the church, is a 

 square piece of ground surrounded by houses, and vulgarly 

 called " The Plestor." * In the midst of this spot stood, in 

 old times, a vast oak, with a short squat body, and huge 

 horizontal arms extending almost to the extremity of the area. 

 This venerable tree, surrounded with stone steps, and seats 

 above them, was the delight of old and young, and a place of 

 much resort in summer evenings ; where the former sat in 

 grave debate, while the latter frolicked and danced before 

 them. Long might it have stood, had not the amazing 

 tempest in 17032 overturned it at once, to the infinite regret 

 of the inhabitants, and the vicar, who bestowed several 

 pounds in setting it in its place again : but all his care could 

 not avail ; the tree sprouted for a time, then withered and 

 died. This oak I mention to show to what a bulk planted 

 oaks also may arrive : and planted this tree must certainly 

 have been, as will appear from what will be said farther 

 concerning this area, when we enter on the antiquities of 

 Selborne. 



On the Black moor estate there is a small wood called 

 Losel's, of a few acres, that was lately furnished with a set of 

 oaks of a peculiar growth and great value ; they were tall and 

 taper like firs, but standing near together had very small 

 heads, only a little brush without any large limbs. About 

 twenty years ago the bridge at the Toy, near Hampton Court, 

 being much decayed, some trees were wanted for the repairs 

 that were fifty feet long without bough, and would measure 



1 That is to say, the play-stow, or playing-place. ED. 2 The great 

 storm of 1703, the only one in Britain which (in historical times) has ever 

 equalled the violence of a tropical hurricane, produced so deep an impres- 

 sion upon the people of the period that it was familiarly spoken of as " the 

 storm throughout the whole of the eighteenth century. White, who was 

 not born till seventeen years later, speaks of it as a well-known occurrence, 

 both here and elsewhere. Macaulay gives a graphic description of this 

 famous tempest in his essay on Addison. ED. 



