GROTESQUE YEW FENCES. 91 



they began tomove^ and listen if they breathed 

 hard, which was a sure sign they would be 

 stirring soon. The next morning explained 

 all : these were yew-trees, cut, as was then 

 the fashion, in the shapes of animals. They 

 would, of course, only move when the wind 

 shook them ; and, I suppose, she could only 

 hear them breathe as the wind whistled through 

 them. 



" The practice of clipping yew-trees into 

 those fantastic shapes was at one time common 

 in every gentleman's garden and fore-court ; 

 but better sense and taste have long caused it 

 to be discontinued ; excepting here and there 

 in a church-yard. The Romans, it appears, 

 were pleased with the same folly. — Mr. Bur- 

 ton, have you any thing to say respecting the 

 Cypress?" 



