WINTER FOLIAGE 153 



ash or other trees of the wood, it contributes to form 

 the most beautiful scenes, blending itself with the trunks 

 and skeletons of the winter, or with the varied greens of 

 summer." From time immemorial the holly, with the 

 ivy and mistletoe another native evergreen has 

 been associated with Christmas, as we are reminded in 

 the mediaeval ballad : 



" Christmastide 

 Comes in like a bride, 

 With holly and ivy clad" ; 



and many of us, with Lord Tennyson, have maintained 

 the ancient traditions, when 



" Again at Christmas did we weave 

 The holly round the Christmas hearth." 



The yew-tree is not far behind the holly in the beauty 

 of its winter garb and in its sacred associations. From 

 the earliest times it has appealed to the imagination of 

 man. But unlike the holly it has not allied itself to 

 thoughts of gladness. The " dismal yew," as the poets 

 call it, " with its thousand years of gloom," has far 

 other memories. In mediaeval times it was often 

 carried in solemn procession on Palm Sunday, in which 

 connection some ancient writers speak of it under the 

 name of "Palm." It was associated, too, with death and 

 burial, and with churchyards. Shakespeare alludes to 

 some use made of it in this connection in Twelfth Night : 



" My shroud of white, stuck all with yew, 

 Oh ! prepare it." 



On the other hand, most people will agree with Charles 

 Waterton in his admiration of the yew-tree. Charming, 

 he well says, is its appearance after the sun has passed 



