pope's willow 



115 



Mrs. Heathfield asked^ if I thought the 

 anecdote of Pope's willow was to be relied on. 



I said it was probable ; and^ I believed^ 

 was generally received, as follows : The poet 

 received a basket of figs from Turkey ; and, 

 perceiving that a twig of the hamper had a 

 bud upon it, he stuck it in his garden ; in a 

 few years, he had a magnificent drooping wil- 

 low ; from which, it is said, all our trees of 

 that kind have proceeded. This tree was cut 

 down, a few years ago ; and it could have been 

 wished, that some other employment had been 

 obtained for the too busy operator." 



I believe," said Mrs. Longhurst, that 

 the best charcoal is made from the willow. In 

 India, there is a particular caste, or rank, of 

 the natives, who live entirely in the woods, 

 and gain their subsistence by burning charcoal. 

 The other inhabitants, however, who are very 



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