558 Strut?’s Sylva Britannica. 
of the parish. The learned and excellent Andrews, Bishop 
of Winchester, left a fine model of prayer for these occasions ; 
and it must have been a soothing sight to witness the devo- 
tional feelings of the multitude, thus called forth in the sim- 
plicity of patriarchal worship in the open air, and surrounded 
by the works of God.” _ 
The Gospel oak near Stoneleigh, to which we are now 
more particularly alluding, ‘ stands,” Mr. Strutt informs us, 
* in a little retired coppice, the solitude of which is equally 
favourable to thought and to devotion, to the reveries of the 
philosopher on ages past, and the contemplation of the Chris- 
tian on the ages to come.” We will only add, from our per- 
sonal knowledge of the spot, that it is much to be regretted 
that some of the upstart saplings, the impertinent firs and 
larches of modern growth *, which surround this primitive 
tree, and interfere sadly with its branches, have not long 
since been cleared away by the proprietor, in order to give 
space and a freer circulation of air to the original and rightful 
occupant of the grove. 
Having already quoted so largely from our author’s pages, 
and from others of kindred character, we fear thatwe have more 
than exceeded our limits, as well as trespassed on the patience 
of our readers. We cannot, however, resist the temptation to 
make one more extract, were it only for the sake of the beauti- 
ful and appropriate poetic effusion which it will be the means 
of introducing to more general notice. Mr. Strutt is speaking 
of an aged oak in the park at Moccas Court, on the banks of 
the Wye, in Herefordshire. ‘ The whole estate,” he says, 
‘from the very nature of its situation, forming part of the 
borders between England and Wales, is fraught with historical 
associations, which extend themselves, with pleasing interest, 
to this ‘ ancient monarch of the wood ;? among whose boughs 
the war-cry has often reverberated in former ages, and who 
has witnessed many a fierce contention under our Henries and 
our Edwards, hand to hand and foot to foot, for the domains 
on which he still survives, in venerable though decaying ma- 
jesty, surrounded by aged denizens of the forest ; the oldest of 
whom, nevertheless, compared with himself, seem but as of 
yesterday. The stillness of the scene at the present time 
forms a soothing contrast to the recollections of the turbulent 
past; and the following lines are so in harmony with the 
reflections it is calculated to awaken, that it is hoped the 
transplanting of them from the pages of a brother amateur of 
* These have been very properly omitted in Mr. Strutt’s view, as well 
as in the wood-cut now presented to our readers. 
