10 



SYLVA BRITANNICA. 



to hold communion with him, and delight in the 

 innocent enjoyment of his bounties ! But to return 

 from generals to particulars. The Panshanger Oak, 

 as we have seen, is characterised by elegance ; if 

 we wish to study the attribute of strength, by which 

 the lord of the woods is more peculiarly distin- 

 guished, we need only turn our eyes to 



THE WOTTON OAK, 



in the park of Wotton under Bernwood, a seat 

 belonging to his Grace the Duke of Buckingham. 

 It measures twenty-five feet in circumference, at one 

 foot from the ground, and at the height of twelve 

 feet divides into four large limbs, the principal of 

 which is fifteen feet in circumference. It rises to 

 an elevation of about ninety feet, and covers an area 

 of fifty yards in diameter with its branches, recalling, 

 to the mind of the spectator, Virgil's magnificent 

 description of a similar object : 



quae, quantum vertice ad auras 



^therias, tantuiu radice in Tartara tendit. 

 Ergo non hyemes illam, non flabra, neque imbres 

 Convellunt : immota manet, multosque nepotes, 

 Multa virum volvens durando saecula vincit. 

 Turn fortes late ramos et brachia tendens 

 Hue illuc, media ipsa ingentem sustinet umbram. 



whose roots descend 



As low towards Pluto's realms, as high in air 



