24 



Forest 

 Groups. 



Avenues. 



In that part of the forest near Lay- 

 tonstonc and Woodford, and indeed in all 

 forest thickets, it m ill be seen that each 

 mass of thorns or brushwood contains one 

 or more young trees, to which it acts as 

 nurse and protector; these trees require 

 no other defence against the numerous 

 herds of cattle, and they grow to a pro- 

 digious size; but to the latest period of 

 their existence, especially in Windsor fo- 

 rest, we often see an aged thorn at the 

 foot of a venerable oak, forming the most 

 picturesque and interesting group — like 

 the fond but decrepid nurse, still clinging 

 to her foster child, though it no longer 

 needs her assistance. 



It seems to have been as much the 

 fashion of the present century {o?igi?ialli/ 

 written in 1794) to destroy avenues, as it 

 was in the last to plant them ; and while 

 many people think they sufficiently jus- 

 tify their opinion, in either case, by say- 

 ing, ' I like an avenue,' or ' I hate an 

 avenue,' let us endeavour to analyze this 

 approbation or disgust. 



The pleasure which the mind derives 



