X. THE BARK. 173 



trees, and of this almost transparent 'fine white linen ? I 

 perceive that the older it is, within limits, the finer and 

 whiter ; hoar} 7 tissue, instead of hoary hair honouring the 

 tree's aged body ; the outer sprays have no silvery light 

 on their youth. Does the membrane thin itself into 

 whiteness merely by stretching, or produce an outer film 

 of new substance ? * 



4. And secondly, this investiture, why is it transverse 

 to the trunk, swathing it, as it were, in bands? Above 

 all, when it breaks, why does it break round the tree 

 instead of down ? All other bark breaks as anything 

 would, naturally, round a swelling rod, but this, as if the 



-stem were growing longer; until, indeed, it reaches 

 farthest heroic old age, when the whiteness passes away 

 again, and the rending is like that of other trees, down- 

 wards. So that, as it were in a changing language, we 

 have the great botanical fact twice taught us, by this tree 

 of Eden, that the skins of trees differ from the skins of 

 the higher animals in that, for the most part, they won't 

 stretch, and must be worn torn. 



So that in fact the most popular arrangement of vege- 

 tative adult costume is Irish ; a normal investiture in 

 honourable rags ; and decorousness of tattering, as of a 

 banner borne in splendid ruin through storms of war. 



5. Now therefore, if we think of it, we have five dis- 



* I only profess, you will please to observe, to ask questions in 

 Proserpina. Never to answer any. But of course this chapter is to 

 introduce some further inquiry in another place. 



