ating the value of what he could gather from 

 books, apart of tlie merit of his own (if such it 

 have,) is in demonstrating the absurdity, the in- 

 utility, and even the baneful tendency of much 

 which they furnish, under the imposing name 



of INSTRUCTIONS. 



In one point of view, books have been use- 

 ful ; by giving an idea of what was known of 

 the cultivation of Timber one or two centuries 

 back; and thus exhibiting the lamentable imbe- 

 cility of modern efforts to increase that know- 

 ledge. 



If trees were, indeed, cast by Nature, in a 

 mould, which it would be fruitless, if not im- 

 pious, to attempt to alter, as some authors 

 have gravely asserted, then might we say to 

 Improvement, " Here shall thy proud efforts 

 "be stayed." — The doctrine, however, betrays 

 an extreme ignorance of the natural and acci- 

 dental forms in which trees are every where 

 found ; as no link in the chain of nature ap- 

 pears more susceptible of improvement by Cul- 

 tivation. Should, however, a doubt of this 



