THE OAK. 51 



The largest of them, Gog, measures thirty-eight feet 

 at the roots, twenty-eight feet at three feet from the 

 ground ; is fifty-eight feet in height, and contains six- 

 teen hundred and sixty-eight feet seven inches of 

 solid timber. Magog is more imposing in dimensions, 

 measuring fifty-four feet four inches at the ground, 

 and thirty-one feet three inches at three feet higher 

 up ; but in height it is inferior, being only forty-nine 

 feet : its solid contents are nine hundred and twelve 

 feet ten inches. The estate of the Marquess of 

 Northampton abounds with many other magnificent 

 specimens of forest trees ; and it will not lessen 

 their interest to recollect, that among them the poet 

 Cowper often pursued the train of moral thought, 

 and wove the harmonious numbers, with which he 

 afterwards delighted and improved the world ; and 

 with what accuracy this observer of nature distin- 

 guished the different species of the productions of 

 the Forest, an accuracy not excelled by that of 

 Spenser himself, may be seen in his description of 

 the sylvan haunts he so much loved. 



" Nor less attractive is the woodland scene, 

 Diversified with trees of every growth, 

 Alike, yet various. Here the gray smooth trunks 

 Of ash, or lime, or beech, distinctly shine, 

 Within the twilight of their distant shades ; 

 There, lost behind a rising ground, the wood 

 Seems sunk, and shorten'd to its topmost boughs. 

 No tree in all the grove but has its charms, 

 Though each its hue peculiar ; paler some, 



