THE OAK. 



11 



Its massive branches rise. The utmost rage 

 Of wintry storms howls o'er its strength in vain. 

 Successive generations of mankind, 

 Revolving ages, flourish and decay. 

 Yet still immoveable it stands, and throws 

 Its vigorous limbs around, and proudly bears 

 With firm and solid trunk its stately form, 

 A mighty canopy of thickest shade. 



Virgil, Georg. ii. 291. 



With full as much truth of nature, though with 

 less pomp of diction, is the Oak described, flourishing, 

 vigorous, rejoicing among his peers, in the following 

 lines of Dan Chaucer," the father of our verse, 

 the " pure well of English undefiled ; " from which 

 so many succeeding bards have drank their first 

 draughts of poetic inspiration : 



• " A plesaunt grove . . . 



In which were Okis grete, streight as a line, 

 Undir the which the grass so freshe of hew 

 Was newly sprong, and an eight fote, or nine. 

 Every tree well fro his fellow grew. 

 With braunches brode, ladin with levis new, 

 That, sprongin out agen, the sonn^ shene. 

 Some very rede ; and some a glad light grene." 



Chaucer : — The Floure and the Leafe. 



Perhaps, there is no where to be found so fine an 

 illustration of the extent to which the oak will throw 

 its broad arms and leafy canopies, when unintruded 

 upon by other stems, as in — 



