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degree from fome kindlier underftrata's of 

 earth, ufurp thereby a haftier horizontal ex- 

 tenfion of their heads over their fellows — 

 In which ftate the whole are fuffered moftly 

 too long to grow, the too indulgent and 

 otherwife happy owner, delighting his eyes 

 with their encreafing procerity, and clearnefs 

 of their bodies from ramifications, their fide 

 boughs in the general having been fulFoca- 

 ted in a good meafure, for the want of fun, 

 rain, and air — Till at length the Jlarving 

 condition of many, which loudly befpeak 

 their oppreflion, moves the otherwife help- 

 lefs proprietor, to put fuch quite out of 

 their pain ; but perhaps not much more than 

 by a decimation, by which the remainder 

 for a fiiort fpace have a little more breathing 

 room — At which beginning few owners thin 

 them fafficiently, but fuffer too many to 

 continue yet ftanding : Which flattering in- 

 ducement ufually proceeds from a view, 

 that the remaining Supernumeraries may 

 afterward turn to a better account than for 

 the fire — As likewife that the near neigh- 

 bourhood of the furvivors may in a little 

 time again, ftifle and fuffocate each other's 

 fide boughs 5 in order to attain the other- 

 wife juftly defirable beauty of a yet higher 



altitude 



