

XVIII 



T. BACCATA Continued 

 Associations 



HE extreme old age that the Yew 

 attains, together with its slow 

 growth, rugged aspect, sombre, 

 melancholy appearance ; and its 

 associations with churches and burial-grounds, 

 has given rise to many curious legends, and 

 these have been freely commented on by writers 

 of both prose and verse. As in the case of those 

 of the Holly, these legends are of very old 

 standing, and are spoken of by some of our most 

 ancient writers. Like the Holly, too, branches 

 of the Yew have been made use of in connec- 

 tion with religious observances ; whilst, however, 

 the Holly is associated with all that is bright and 

 cheerful, the Yew is symbolic of sorrow, sadness, 

 and death. Although branches of the Yew are 

 used at Christmas - time in conjunction with 

 Holly, Christmas does not appear to have been 

 the time when our predecessors used it most 

 largely ; neither does it, from its symbolic sig- 

 nificance, appeal to one as a suitable subject to 

 use for decorative purposes at a time when all 



