PINE. 109 



or pen, a mountain or rock ; whence we have 

 the Apennines ; the Pennine Alps, &c. The 

 Gallic pinwidden, like the German pyn-baum, 

 means merely a mountain-tree. 



The Greeks distinguished this species of 

 deal-tree, from that of the fir and larch, by 

 the name of UevKTj ; but its use in naval archi- 

 tecture seems to have been the same as that 

 of the former trees, from the earliest ages. 



■ Dant utile lignum 



Navigiis Pinus. Georg. ii. 



" The useful pine for ships." 



It is impossible to behold these towering 

 trees with indifference, that appear to be by 

 nature intended to support the wings of our 

 vessels ; and thus enable us to enjoy the rari- 

 ties of the most distant parts of the globe, 

 with as much facility as if it had only been 

 the produce of remote parts of our island. 

 It is, therefore, with sensations of gratitude 

 and pleasure that we should regard these re- 

 sinous trees springing up, that are perhaps 

 at some future day to be planted on the main 

 for the defence of our country, or the main- 

 tenance of our commerce. This useful family 

 of trees is generally found to prosper in soil 

 and situations that would otherwise lie waste 

 and barren, which is an important circum- 



