202 



THE HAWTHORN. 



beautiful." Price, in iiis admirable Essay on the 

 Picturesque, expresses the same opinion : " Should 

 it happen, for example, that in parts of the rising 

 ground of a highly dressed lawn, groups of Tlioriis 

 and Hollies were mixed with the Oaks and Beeches, 

 is there any one, with the least taste for natural 

 beauties, who vrould totally extirpate them, and 

 clear round all the larger trees ? Is there any 

 one who would not delight in such a mixture ?" 



If the artist, however, still refuse to admit it 

 into his painted landscape, we must be content to 

 admire it as it stands in the landscape of Nature 

 — to enjoy its rich perfume — to contrast its bright 

 green leaves with its ivory flowers — to inspect its 

 minute beauties — to thank it for the hospitable 

 shelter that it affords to the nightingale in sum- 

 mer, and the welcome repast to many a feathered 

 songster in winter, at which season the robin-red- 

 breast selects its topmost twig from which to pour 

 forth his plaintive yet cheering song^ — and to rest 

 satisfied, that, although it has found no painter to 

 eulogize it, it has never wanted a poet. 



Amongst the many buds proclaiming May, 



Decking the fields in holiday array, 



Striving who shall surpass in braverie, 



Marke the faire blooming of the Hawthorne tree, 



Who finely cloathed in a robe of white, 



Fills full the vranton eye with May's delight." 



Chaucer. 



" Gives not the Hawthorn-bush a sweeier shade 

 To shepherds looking on their silly sheep, 

 Than doth a rich embroidered canop}^ 

 To kings that fear their subjects' treachery?" 



Shakspeare. 



" Come, my Corinna, come, and coming, mark 

 How each field turns a street, each street a park 

 Made green and trimmed with trees ; see how 

 Devotion gives each house a bough 



