EVERGREEN BEAUTY. 67 



perfections, I profess myself (contrary, I suppose, 

 to general opinion) a great admirer of its form 

 and foliage. The Yew is, of all other trees, the 

 most tonsile. Hence all the indignities it suffers. 

 We everywhere see it cut and metamorphosed 

 into such a variety of deformities, that we are 

 hardly brought to conceive it has a natural shape, 

 or the power, which other trees have, of hanging 

 with ease. Yet it has this power in a great degree, 

 and in a state of nature, except in exposed situa- 

 tions, is perhaps one of the most beautiful ever- 

 greens we have.' Writing about the Yew, the 

 author of ' Forest Scenery ' puts in a sensible 

 plea for the colour of this tree's foliage. He 

 says, ' But though we should be able to establish 

 its beauty with respect to form and foliage, there 

 remains one point still which we should find it 

 nard to combat. Its colour, unfortunately, gives 

 offence. Its dingy, funereal hue, people say, 

 makes it only fit for a churchyard. This objec- 

 tion, I hope, I have already answered in defending 

 the colour of the Scotch Fir.* An attachment to 

 colour, as such, seems to me an indication of 

 * 'Forest Scenery,' page 116. 



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