84 FAMILIAR TREES 
Eostre, which the Christian Church was able to 
sanctify and adopt, as it adopted also the winter use 
of the Holly, which lent itself yet more readily to 
Christian symbolism ; whilst it was unable to do the 
same for the Mistletoe, which social progress has 
gradually stripped of all its impropriety, and of nearly 
all its significance. As the pagan nations of antiquity 
in South Europe took the Cypress as a symbol of 
immortality, so the Yew. may well have been adopted 
in the North; and certain it is that while the Holly 
lingers round ancient British earthworks, and has long 
effected its entrance into our churches, it does not 
oceur in our churchyards. Even the additional argu- 
ment that Yew twigs were used to sprinkle the holy 
water in the “ Asperges ” before mass will hardly be a 
sufficient answer to this objection. 
Herrick’s verses for Candlemas Eve are, however, 
worth reproduction in this connection :— 
“ Down with the Rosemary and Bayes;- 
Down with the Mistleto ; 
Instead of Holly, now upraise 
The greener Box for show. 
“The Holly hitherto did sway, 
Let Box now domineere 
Until. the dancing Easter Day, 
Or Easter’s Eve appeare. 
“Then youthful Box, which now hath grace 
Your houses to renew, 
Grown old, surrender must his place 
Unto the crisped Yew. . 
“When Yew is out, then Birch comes in, 
And many flowers beside ; 
Both of a fresh and fragrant kinne, 
To honour Whitsontide.” 
