THE LORD'S OAK. 187 



Some fine day, rod in hand, we must follow it 

 up or better down, as the Poet sings 



" Down Rydal cove from Fairfield's side." 



There, though so near the busy haunts of man, 

 you will find perfect seclusion, and all, or almost 

 all, you could wish to have in solitude ; in brief, 

 it is the counterpart of Far-Easedale with 

 an improvement, a lighter and fresher air, from 

 being more elevated, and more extended, and 

 having a finer prospect, Windermere being seen 

 in the distance ; on which account the following 

 it down deserves the preference. 



AMICTJS. Had you not directed my attention 

 to the oak which you call the Lord's Oak, I 

 infer, from its superior magnitude, the parasi- 

 tical growths you pointed out would have 

 escaped my notice. You did not mention the 

 mistletoe as one of them that true parasite. 



PISCATOR. It is somewhat remarkable, that in 

 a district such as this, in which, probably owing 

 to the quantity of rain that falls, adventitious 

 growths are far from uncommon on the older 

 trees, the mistletoe is unknown ; and I believe 

 the few attempts that have been made to 

 introduce it, have, with one exception, failed 



