THE BEECH 111 



As the tree grows, the letters engraved upon it 

 grow also. As Ovid says: 



" Incisaj servant a te mea nomina fagi, 

 Et legor (Enone, falce notata tua ; 

 Et quantum trunci, tantum mea nomina crescunt." 



(" The Beeches, faithful guardians of your flame, 

 Bear on their wounded trunks (Enone's name ; 

 And as the trunks, so still the letters grow.") 



The annual growth of bark strives to hide the 

 wound of the knife, and ultimately the inscribed 

 name will become buried in the heart of the old 

 tree, to remain ages after that of the lover shall 

 have ceased to beat. 



It is in autumn, however, that the beauty of 

 the Beech stands pre-eminent. As Dr. Edwin Lees 

 has eloquently put it, "The autumnal splendour 

 of every other tree fades before that of the Beech, 

 which continues the longest of all, and under par- 

 ticular circumstances is of the most brilliant 

 description. This arises from its lucid leaves, which 

 vary in hue from auburn to gold colour and 

 umber, reflecting back the level rays of the 

 descending sun, and thus burning with pre- 

 eminent lustre, like a sudden illumination. Blazino- 

 characters irradiate the grove wherever the Beech 

 presents, in spectral pomp, its vivid outline ; and 

 if a passing rain-cloud, shrouding for a moment the 

 tree- tops, bear upon its purple breast the glowing 

 Iris, with one limb intermingled with the golden 

 foliage, the splendid effect will long rest upon 

 the memory of the spectator." 



The light brown, hard, and moderately heavy 



