294 SYLVAN WINTER. 



exercise the taste of magistracy. The burgo- 

 master of his day had it ''surveyed with great 

 accuracy, and trimmed into eight broad pyramidal 

 faces. Each corner was supported by a hand- 

 some stone pillar, and in the middle of the tree, 

 among the branches, was cut a noble room, which 

 the vast space contained within easily suffered, 

 without injuring the regularity of any of the 

 eight faces. To crown all, the top was curiously 

 clipped into some kind of head, and adorned 

 artificially; but in what manner, whether with 

 the head of a lion, or a stag, a weather-cock, or 

 a sun-dial, we are not told. It was something, 

 however, in the highest style of Dutch taste. 

 This tree was long the admiration and envy of 

 all the states of Holland, and Mr. Evelin, from 

 whom we have the relation, seems to have thought 

 it a piece of excellent workmanship. " I needed 

 not," says he, " have charged this paragraph with 

 half these trees, but to show how much more the 

 Lime Tree seems disposed to be wrought into 

 these arboreous wonders than other trees of 

 slower growth." ' * 



* ' Forest Scenery,' pages IS 0-1. 



