THEIR PROPERTIES, &C. 117 



and in ornamental plantations. It makes an ex- 

 cellent, clofe, effe&ual, and permanent fcreen ; 

 and, if properly trained, will rife to a very confi- 

 derable height, A grove of yew trees, in a re- 

 olufe corner, would be a folemn paflage in the 

 grounds of a place. As the cyprefs in the Eaft, 

 the yew in Britain has been appropriated to the 

 decoration of facred ground from time imme- 

 morial. It is therefore a fit accompaniment to 

 the temple and the maufoleum. * 



The timber of the Yew is very valuable ; but 

 was much more fo formerly than it is now. It 

 was of the Yew, chiefly, that our archers made 

 their bows; befides which, Mr Evelyn fays, 

 " The artifts in box, cabinet-makers, and inlay- 

 " ers, gladly employ it; alfo for the cogs of mills, 

 " pods to be fet in moid grounds, and everlafling 

 cc axletrees, there is none to be compared with it. " 



ME Marfhall mentions a number of yew trees 

 having been cut, in the neighbourhood of Box- 

 hill 



* How much would that grand edifice, the Mausoleum 

 at Castle-Howard, have been improved in appearance, at 

 this time, had the builder of it planted about it some yews 

 and cedar trees ? Certainly this has been overlooked, or 

 neglected, by some accident. Every thing is otherwise 

 done in great style (as it is termed) at this place; and, 

 certainly, the propriety of connecting this building more 

 immediately with wood of some kind, must have struck the 

 jreat Howard. 



