INTRODUCTION. VU 



heavy contributions upon the woods and fields. 

 But above and beyond all that has been essential 

 for promoting the advancement of a great people, 

 there has been ruthless destruction of our 

 beautiful woods. Public lands, which should at 

 least have been free from wholesale appropriation, 

 have shared the common fate. Commissioners, 

 armed with power which has been practically 

 despotic, have done their worst by bartering away 

 open rights of common, by enclosing and facilita- 

 ting the enclosure of wayside grounds and village 

 greens, by laying the axe to the roots of grand old 

 trees which sprang into existence before the com- 

 mencement of modern history ; and, in short, by 

 annihilating, remorselessly, whatever their destroy- 

 ing hands could reach of the sylvan picturesque- 

 ness and beauty of our island. 



This work, however, of enclosure and spoliation 

 has, fortunately, of late years, created a strong pub- 

 lic opinion, which before was non-existent, against 

 the further destruction of our woods and forests ; 

 and, though very much of what was beautiful is gone 

 beyond recall, we have, still, some delightful rem- 

 nants left of our primeval trees, of rolling moor- 



