140 PROSEKP1KA. 



ground approximately fixed for each species of tree, lo\v 

 in an oak, high in a stone pine ; but, in both, marked as a 

 point of structural change in the direction of growing 

 force, like the spring of a vault from a pillar ; and as the 

 tree grows old, some of its branches getting torn away by 

 winds or falling under the weight of their own fruit, or 

 load of snow, or by natural decay, there remains literally 

 a 'truncated' mass of timber, still bearing irregular 

 branches here and there, but inevitably suggestive of 

 resemblance to a human body, after the loss of some of its 

 limbs. 



And to prepare trees for their practical service, what 

 age and storm only do partially, the first rough process of 

 human art does completely. The branches are lopped 

 away, leaving literally the ' truncus ' as the part of the 

 tree out of which log' and rafter can be cut. And in 

 many trees, it would appear to be the chief end of their 

 being to produce this part of their body on a grand scale, 

 and of noble substance ; so that, while in thinking of 

 vegetable life without reference to its use to men or ani- 

 mals, we should rightly say that the essence of it was in 

 leaf and flower not in trunk or fruit ; yet for the sake 

 of animals, we find that some plants, like the vine, are 

 apparently meant chiefly to produce fruit ; others, like 

 laurels, chiefly to produce leaves ; others chiefly to produce 

 flowers ; and others to produce permanently serviceable 

 and sculptural wood ; or, in some cases, merely picturesque 

 and monumental masses of vegetable vock, " intertwisted 



