ELDER TREE. 127 



" Non ostante die i fronzuti Sambuchi, coverti cli fiori odoriferi 

 1'ampia strada quasi tutta occupassero, il lume della luna era si 

 chiaro, che non altrimeuti die so giorno stato fosse ne mostrava il 



camino." 



Arcadia. 



Notwithstanding the branching Elders, covered with odoriferous 

 flowers, spread their shade over the whole way, the light of the 

 moon was so clear, that we saw our road as though it had been 

 day. 



The Elder is sometimes coupled with the cypress, 

 and other trees considered as emblematical of death or 

 sorrow : 



" The water-nymphs, that wont with her to sing and dance, 



And for her girlond olive-branches bear, 

 Now baleful boughs of cypress done advance : 

 The muses that were wont green bays to wear, 

 Now bringen bitter elder branches sere : 

 The fatal sisters eke repent 

 Her vital thread so soon was spent. 



O heavy herse ! 



Mourn now, my muse, now mourn with heavy cheer : 

 O careful verse !" 



SPENSER. 



The musical pipe called by the Italians Sampogna 

 was formerly made of Elder-wood; and it is supposed 

 that the name is corrupted from Sambuco. 



The Elder-tree is very common in the hedge-rows, and 

 by brook-sides, even in the neighbourhood of London, 

 adorning and enlivening them with their beautiful white 

 blossom. Happily for the housewives who make wine of 

 the berries, the temptation to gather, offered by the 

 beauty of the flowers, is counteracted by their unpleasant 

 odour ; and they are left to perfect their fruit. 



