THE POPLAR. 75 



little of the spirit of rivalry seeming to animate our 

 youths in the choice and magnitude of this adorn- 

 ment. The superb spike of a Brompton, or a ten 

 weeks' stock, long cherished in some sheltered corner 

 for the occasion, surrounded by all the gaiety the 

 garden can afford, till it presents a very bush of 

 flowers, forms the appendage of their bosoms, and, 

 with the gay knots in their hats, their best garments, 

 and the sprightly hilarity of their looks, constitutes 

 a pleasing village scene, and gives an hour of unin- 

 cumbered felicity to common man and rural life, 

 not yet disturbed by refinement and taste. 



" Oh, who can hold a fire in his hand 

 By thinking 0*1 the frosty Caucasus?" 



And yet the shivering of the aspen, or poplar tree 

 (populus tremuia), in the breeze will give us the 

 sensation of coldness, and communicate an involun- 

 tary shuddering. The construction of the foliage 

 of this tree is peculiarly adapted for motion ; a broad 

 leaf placed upon a long footstalk, so flexile, as 

 scarcely to be able to support the leaf in an upright 

 posture : the upper part of this stalk, on which the 

 play or action seems mainly to depend, is contrary 

 to the nature of footstalks in general, being perfectly 

 flattened, and, as an eminent botanist and esteemed 

 gentleman, Dr. I. Stokes, observes, is placed at 

 a right angle, with the leaf, being thus peculiarly 

 fitted to receive the impulse of every wind that 

 blows. This stalk is furnished with three strong 



