ELM. 21 1 



reared ; or it marks the spot where the 

 village once stood ; and the rapid manner in 

 which this tree propagates itself in hedgerows 

 and on banks, by suckers from its far extend- 

 ing roots, will easily account for the quantity 

 now found in such situations. It must have 

 been a happy exchange for Britannia, when 

 she banished the wolf from her shores, and 

 received the elm into the bosom of her woods. 

 Our neighbouring shores are not yet entirely 

 free from these plunderers of the fold. It 

 was formerly the custom in France for the 

 hunters to suspend the skins of these animals 

 on their church-doors ; but in later times, an 

 elm was planted in their country church- 

 yards, on which these trophies were hung; 

 probably, with the idea, that they would deter 

 these ravenous animals from tearing the dead 

 bodies out of their graves, which was no un- 

 frequent occurrence, when hunger drove them 

 from the mountains or the forests. Long 

 after these kinds of offerings ceased to be 

 made, the custom of planting elms in front of 

 village churches was preserved ; and it is this 

 tree, which still graces their cities and towns 

 in their justly-boasted boulevards, under the 

 shade of which patient industry throws the 

 thread, and places the pin so accurately on 

 thfe cushion, warbling her native airs under 



p 2 



