THE EFFECT OF TREES 



branches show the strength of slender things, and of 

 little things, so that a man may know how Heaven has 

 its roots in earth, and its crest in the clouds. And a man 

 who holds to earth with one hand, and reaches at the 

 stars with the other, in that span he encompasses all that 

 may be known if he but see it. But men are blind, and do 

 not see the sky but as sky, and do not see the stars but 

 as balls of fire, or the green grass but as a carpet, or the 

 flowers but as a combination of chemical accidents. But 

 over all, and through all, and in all is God, Who still 

 speaks with Adam in the Garden." 



These things are to be learnt of trees both great and 

 small, withered and young, sapling and Oak of centuries. 

 And they are to be learnt also in the dust on a butter- 

 fly's wing ; or of a blade of grass ; or of a hemp seed. But 

 men are deaf, and hear no voice but the voice of water 

 in a rushing stream ; and no sound but the sound of 

 leaves stirring when the wind rests in a tree ; and no 

 voice speaking in a blaze of flowers who sing praises 

 night and day in scented voices. 



A tree is not dumb, and the Creeping Briar is not 

 dumb, and the Rose has a voice like the voice of a woman 

 rejoicing that she is fair. But men are dumb, for though 

 their hearts speak, all tongues are not touched with fire. 



So may trees be a solace in trouble, and secrets may 

 be whispered to bushes of Rosemary and Lavender, who 

 will yield their secret solace of peace, as the tree yields 

 strength. All these things are written in a garden in 

 coloured letters of gold, and green, and crimson, in blue 

 and purple, orange and grey, and they are written for a 

 purpose. And a man may seek diligently for the secret 

 of this great book and find nothing if he seek with his 

 head alone. He will tell of the growth of trees, their 

 years, their nature, their sickness. He will learn of the 

 power of the sap which flows down from the tips of 



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