OF FOREST-TREES. 



171 



these sweet and divertisant plantations would have afforded. Not to omit CHAP. IX. 



that political use, as my Lord Bacon hints it, where he speaks of the sta- '^^V"^-' 



tues and monuments of brave men, and such as had well deserved of the 



public^ erected by the Romans even in their highways ; since, doubtless, 



such noble and agreeable objects would exceedingly divert, entertain, 



and take off the minds and discourses of melancholy people and pensive 



travellers, who have nothing but the dull and inclosed ways to cast their 



eyes on, are but ill conversation to themselves and others, and, instead 



of celebrating, censure their superiors. It is observed by a curious person, 



an industrious friend of mine, that the sap of this tree rises and descends 



with the sun's diurnal course, (which it visibly slackens in the night,) and 



more plentifully at the root on the south-side, though those roots cut on 



the north were larger, and less distant from the body of the tree ; and 



not only distilled from the ends, which were next the stem, but from 



those that were cut off and separated, which was never observed to 



happen in the Birch, or other sap-yielding trees. 



Mr. Oldenburgh* speaks of one of the present Kings in Europe, who "pwi. Trans, 

 drinks much of the juice of this tree, and finds great benefit thereby. p. m. °' '''' 



4. What universal use the French make of the timber of this sole tree, 

 for domestic affairs, may be seen in every room both of poor and rich. It 

 is of singular account with the joiner, for the best grained and coloured 

 wainscot; with the gunsmith, for stocks; with the coach-maker, for wheels 

 and the bodies of coaches ; in New England, they make hoops and bows 

 for want of Yew ; the drum-maker uses it for rims, the cabinet-maker ■ 

 for inlaying, especially the firm and close timber about the root, which is 

 admirable for flecked and chambleted works, some wood especially, as that 



To raise the island of Great Britain to its wonted splendour, and to give energy and 

 vigour to the state, our Rulers, ere it be too late, should in the most public manner, en- 

 courage the cultivators of the earth : 



In ancient times, tlie sacred plough employ'd 



The kings, and awful fatliers of mankind : 



And some, with whom compar'd your insect-tribes 



Are but the beings of a summer's day. 



Have held the scale of empire, rul'd the storm 



Of mighty war; then, with unweary'd hand, 



Disdaining little delicacies, seiz'd 



The plough, and greatly independent liv'd. Thomson. 



Ff 2 



