yew. 299 



In Ireland it was evidently, says Mr. Tem- 

 pleton, very plentiful in former times, being 

 at present common in a fossil state ; but it is 

 not now found there, except in cultivation. 



Caesar mentions the yew as very common 

 in Gaul and Germany, and it has been found 

 in North America and Japan. 



Its natural situation is in mountainous 

 woods, or more particularly the clefts of high 

 calcareous mountains. 



We do not remember a single instance of 

 having met with any young yew-trees being 

 planted in churchyards ; and, as many of the 

 old ones are fast approaching to the age of 

 Methusalem, we cannot expect to retain them 

 many ages longer. We shall, therefore, notice 

 some of the most celebrated that are now in 

 existence, and hope soon to be able to record 

 the planting of others ; for although we ac- 

 knowledge there is no actual necessity for 

 these trees occupying a space in the cemetery, 

 yet we have a veneration for the old customs 

 of our ancestors, when they are void of harm, 

 and stripped of superstition ; and it must be 

 confessed that no other tree is so well calcu- 

 lated to cast that solemnity over the burial- 

 ground as the tree we have ever been 

 accustomed to behold in this situation. The 

 yew-tree may be safely transplanted at any 



