BOX-TREE. 145 



Evelyn did not neglect to visit this spot, 

 as we find by his diary, 27th July, 1655, where 

 he writes, " I went to Boxhill to see those 

 rare natural bowers, cabinets, and shady 

 walkes in the box copses." He also observes 

 that " at Mickleham there are goodly walkes, 

 and hills shaded with yew arid box, as render 

 the place extreamely agreeable^ it seeming 

 from these evergreens to be summer all the 

 winter." He tells us in his Silva that " these 

 trees rise naturally at Boxley, in Kent, in 

 abundance, and the county of Surry, giving 

 name to that chalky hill near the famous 

 Mole or Swallow." 



This spot is still visited by the admirers of 

 beautiful scenery ; but in the time of Charles 

 the Second, before the inhabitants of the 

 court and the city of London were so well 

 acquainted with the baths of Neptune, the 

 neighbourhood of Boxhill and the waters of 

 the Mole were thought of sufficient efficacy, 

 and of a sufficient distance, to dissipate both 

 gloom and disease. 



The box was formerly much more plen- 

 tiful in England than at present ; Boxwel, 

 in Coteswold, Gloucestershire, was named 

 from this tree ; and Gerard says (in the time 

 of Elizabeth), " It groweth upon sundry 



VOL. I. L 



