THE BEECH. 



821 



It has another peculiarity, also, which is some- 

 times pleasing, — that of a number of stems aris- 

 ing from the root. The bark, too, often wears 

 a pleasant hue. It is naturally of a dingy olive ; 

 but it is always overspread, in patches, with a 

 variety of mosses and lichens, which are com- 

 monly of a lighter tint in the upper parts, and 

 of a deep velvet-green towards the root. Its 

 smoothness also contrasts agreeably with these 

 rougher appenda^ges. But having praised the 

 trunk, we can praise no other part of the skele- 

 ton. The branches are fantastically wreathed 

 and disproportioned, turning awkwardly among 

 each other, and running often into long unva- 

 ried lines, without any of that strength and firm- 

 ness which we admire in the Oak, or of that 

 easy simplicity which pleases in the Ash ; in 

 short, w^e rarely see a Beech well ramified. In 

 full leaf it is equally unpleasing ; it has the 

 appearance of an overgrown bush. This bushi- 

 ness gives a great heaviness to the tree, which 

 is always a deformity: what lightness it has, 

 disgusts. You will sometimes see a light branch 

 issuing from a heavy mass ; and though such 

 pendent branches are often beautiful in them- 

 selves, they are seldom in harmony with the 

 tree. They distinguish, however, its character, 

 which v\^ill be seen best by comparing it with 

 the Elm. The Elm forms a rounder, the Beech 

 a more pointed, foliage ; but the former is al- 

 ways in harmony with itself. 



Sometimes, however, we see, in Beeches of 

 happy composition, the foliage falling in large 

 flocks or layers elegantly determined ; between 

 which the shadows have a very forcible effect, 



