676 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



lated as to mean the plane tree, an Eastern species of our buttonwood, 

 they appear to have arrived at the conclusion that it was a typographical 

 error, and so have made it read " the plain of Moreh " " the plains of 

 Miimre," as though the idea to be conveyed was level stretches of land, 

 instead of trees. 



The oak tree, one of those which composed the grove of Mamre, under 

 which Abraham stood when the angels announced to him the birth of Isaac, 

 was long an object of veneration, and was said to be still in existence in 

 the time of Constantine, and Eusebius speaks expressly of the oaks of 

 Mamre as being a place where idolatry was committed by the Israelites. 

 Deborah, Rebecca's nurse, was buried under an oak tree at Bethel, " and 

 the name of it was called Allen-bacheeth," which literally means the oak 

 of weeping. Under an oak tree Joshua sot up the tabernacle of the Lord, 

 so that the congregation might comfortably perform divine service. The 

 oaks of Bashan were highly prized by the Jews as may be gathered from 

 the reproaches of Ezekiel when prophecying against Tyre, "of the" oaks of 

 Bashan have they made their oars " intimating that the Tyrians had been 

 guilty of sacrilegious acts in destroying such fine trees and using them for 

 such inferior purposes. 



The oak groves of Dodona, in Epirus, formed the most celebrated and 

 ancient oracle on record. All the trees in the grove were said to be 

 endowed with the gift of prophecy, which they not only possessed in their 

 living state, but also when hewn into timber, for the ancient legend runs 

 that when some of them were cut down to build the ship Argo, the beams 

 and masts of that ship frequently spoke to warn the Argonauts of approach- 

 ing danger. The oracular powers of this grove are frequently alluded to 

 by the ancient poets, and even by some of modern times. 



Cowper, addressing the Yardley oak, says, also alluding to its great age: 



Oh ! couldst tLou speak 



As in Dodona once thy kindred trees 



racular, I would not curious ask 

 Tho future, best unknown; but at thy mouth 

 Inquisitive, the less ambiguous past,; 

 By thee I might correct, erroneous oft. 

 The clock of history, facts and events 

 Timing more punctual, unrecorded facts 

 Recovering, and misstated, setting righ 



The Athenians particularly looked upon this tree with intense delight, 

 and planted it around their dwellings for the sake of its cool umbrageous 

 shade. It grew chiefly, and in the greatest abundance, on the slopes and 

 heights of Hellas, and formed the basis of many a Hellenic legend. 



Jupiter at his birth was said to have been sheltered by an oak tree which 

 grew upon Mount Lycseus in Arcadia. One of their myths states that he 

 derived his might from the oak, and with a generous disinterestedness, 

 upon feeling its power within him, taught mankind to live upon acorns so 

 that they too might be puissant. 



It was esteemed an imperial plant and was consecrated to Jupiter. 

 "Virgil speaking of it, in the Second Georgic, says: 



" 'Tis Jove's own tree 



That holds the woods in awful sovereignty) 



