158 SYLVAN SKETCHES. 



mont, which will at least entertain them with a world of 

 surprising things. 



" But now after all, the most signal honour it was ever 

 employed in, and which might deservedly exalt this 

 humble and common plant above all the trees of the 

 wood, is that of hurdles, not for that it is generally used 

 in the folding of our innocent sheep, an emblem of the 

 church, but for making the walls of one of the first Chris- 

 tian oratories in the world, and particularly in this island, 

 that venerable and sacred fabric of Glastonbury, founded 

 by Joseph of Arimathea; which is storied to have 

 been first composed of a few hazel-rods interwoven 

 about certain stakes driven in the ground : and walls of 

 this kind instead of laths and puncheons, superinduced 

 with a coarse mortar made of loam and straw, do to this 

 day enclose divers humble cottages, sheds, and out- 

 houses in the country."" 



The first part of this quotation is certainly rather ex- 

 traordinary, but the most extraordinary thing about it is, 

 that such a man should relate it in a manner so serious : 

 this tale might indeed have pleased the active faith of 

 Sir Thomas Browne. It may probably remind the reader 

 of Captain Stedman's mode of discovering theft among 

 his negroes, informing them that the guilty person's nose 

 would very shortly be adorned with a sprouting feather ; 

 then secretly watching their actions, and detecting the 

 person by observing him constantly putting his hand to 

 his nose to learn if the proof of his guilt had yet made 

 its appearance there*. 



Speaking of the nuts, Evelyn says, " They are brought 



* See Stedman's Surinam, vol. ii. 



