WILLOW. 275 



and Babylonian willows, and bordered with white roses, 

 lilies, and hortensias ; the favourite flowers of that beloved 

 queen, beauteous yet melancholy contrasts to the hallowed 

 temple of Brandenburg granite, beneath which repose the 

 mortal remains, in a sarcophagus of lead, weighing eighteen 

 hundredweight, and supported by eight lions, upon which 

 is graven this simple inscription : 



" Louisa Augusta Wilhelmina Amelia, Queen of Prussia, 

 Princess of Mecklenburg Strelitz, born 10th of March, 

 1776, died at Hohenzieritz, 19th of July, 1810." 



Poets in all ages have spoken of the willow : some with 

 reference to mournful, others to festive occasions ; some 

 even with regard to religious observances. Thus the poet 

 Googe : 



" And willow branches hallow, that they palmes do use to call/' 



But more generally we are connected with melancholy 

 associations, though men hardly know why. True it is 

 that formal rows of pollard willows are often seen 



