264 SYLVx\ FLOBIFERA. 



Madame de Genlis mentions, in a little 

 work on natural history, that the two finest 

 weeping willows in England, are at Twicken- 

 ham, in the garden of Pope, standing on a 

 terrace that is watered by the Thames. These 

 two willows, she adds, are equally remarkable 

 for their bulk, and for the surprising extent 

 of their branches, which form two large 

 groves. 



The Hortus Kewensis informs us that the 

 Babylonian willow was planted in this coun- 

 try as early as 1692, at which time Pope was 

 only four years of age; therefore those planted 

 by him at Twickenham, could not have been 

 the first known in this country. 



The celebrated Dr. Samuel Johnson planted 

 a willow of this species in his childhood, near 

 the cathedral in the city of Litchfield, his 

 native place, which has long been shown as a 

 curiosity,- both on account of its enormous 

 size, and the popularity of this writer. 



The very name of this elegant tree is suf- 

 ficient to inspire a degree of sadness which 

 is not lessened by the numerous melancholy 

 sonnets that have been written on it, until 

 we scarcely behold a weeping willow without 

 expecting to meet with a sepulchral monu- 

 ment of " Poor Mary Anne," or some other 

 slighted lover, over whom this emblem of 



