74 TREES IN NATURE, MYTH & ART 



(by my consent) to be banished from all curious 

 gardens and avenues. There is in Germany 

 a better sort of sycamore than ours, wherewith 

 they make saddle-trees, and divers other things 

 of use ; our own is excellent for cart and 

 plough-timber, being light, tough, and not 

 much inferior to ash itself" But for this last 

 reservation in its favour, the tree, had it a 

 spirit — any spirit — would surely have taken 

 umbrage at this criticism and have left the 

 country. But it has remained, and there is a 

 remarkably beautiful specimen of it within a 

 few yards of my own door, and I never pass it, 

 though this often happens several times a day, 

 without feeling grateful for its stately loveli- 

 ness. It branches out almost evenly on all 

 sides, and has a firm outline not unpleasantly 

 symmetrical, because of a slight inclination of 

 the whole tree under pressure of the prevailing 

 wind. Its trunk, owing to the scaling-off of 

 the bark, is mingled of green and brown and 

 delicate grey tints. Whatever fault may be 

 found with the leaves of this tree when they 

 have fallen, their five lobes make them a 

 pleasant variety, part- way between the simple 

 leaves of such trees as the elm and the beech, 



