SHRUBS 165 



Shtpheartfs Calendar for 'Februarie/ and is much too 

 long to quote at length ; but it tells how ' a bragging 

 brere ' lived and flourished by ' a goodly oake,' how it 

 took offence at the oak and got the master to cut it 

 down, and then 



' Eftsoones winter gan to approache ; 

 The blustring Boreas did encroche, 

 And l>cat upon the solitary Brere ; 

 For now no succour was seen him neere 

 Now 'gan hee repent his pride too late, 

 For, naked left, and disconsolate, 

 The byting frost nipt his stalk t* dead ; 



Such was the end of this ambitious Brere 

 For scorning Eld.' 



I will merely add that no gardener will keep a 

 collection of shrubs in good order unless he has a hard 

 heart and a sharp knife, and uses them both with 

 judgment. 



