60 SYLVA FLORIFERA. 



and the carvers prefer it on account of its 

 delicate colour, close grain, easy working, and 

 for its not being liable to split. That it is 

 not subject to worms must be satisfactorily 

 proved by the preservation in which we now 

 see the works of Gibbons, that have been 

 exposed since the time of Charles the Se- 

 cond. It is also remarked by Pliny, that the 

 worm never injured this timber. Evelyn tells 

 us, that this wood is preferable to the willow, 

 being stronger yet lighter. We presume that 

 it was from the strong recommendation of 

 this tree in the Sylva, that it came so much 

 into use in the latter time of that author, as 

 about that time it was planted in St. James's 

 Park; and we find it was also frequently 

 planted in country towns, and trimmed up 

 to screen the windows from the sun; for which 

 purpose it was well adapted, both on account 

 of the fragrance of its flowers and its shade, 

 which is not required after the time the 

 linden throws off its leaves ; and few trees 

 were found to bear clipping better than this, 

 as it soon heals the wounds that are caused 

 by the knife ; and the branches are so tough 

 that they seldom suffer by the wind, and were 

 found to bear so great a weight that plat- 

 forms were laid on them, and arbours made 

 in the tree one over the other. Dr. Turner 



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