SACRED AND CLASSICAL PLANTING. 
483 
nations were of cedar, because in ancient times 
it was not only greatly prized for its beauty, 
but invested with imperishable qualities. Such 
are some of the traits of the cedar, one of the 
grandest ligneous products of either hemi- 
sphere, and far excelling others in sacred his- 
torical remembrance. It rightfully takes its 
place on the tops of mountains, and associates, 
naturally, with no trees except its own kindred 
— tbe pines and firs. Though generally 
dwarfed and stunted in this country, by being 
placed in situations and soils unfavourable to 
the development of its unrivalled character, 
it may be seen in a few instances exhibiting 
something of that extraordinary beauty which 
distinguished it in the days of Solomon, and 
rendered it the boast of Syria. 
Cavillers there are who insist that the cedar 
of the Bible cannot be that of Mount Lebanon, 
as the tree cannot be considered very lofty. 
Let all such get a sight of a tree of this sort, 
growing at the seat of Robert Marsham, Esq., 
Stratton Strawless, Norfolk, a noble, upright 
specimen, with a branchless trunk of about 
forty feet. 
Next in importance is the Oak. It will not 
be necessary to dwell at any length on this tree, 
as its associations both sacred and classical are 
well known to every one. The object of this 
paper is to offer, if possible, new and striking 
features. It is scarcely to be wondered at 
that this grand object bearing, when in per- 
fection, such an immense burden of boughs 
and spray, with a tufted, irregular, and, con- 
sequently picturesque outline, should have 
been selected as an object worthy of so much 
veneration. A chain of exalted remembrance 
is linked to it in the mind of all those who 
have read any classical author ; and in the 
Bible there are several incidents connected 
with it, sufficient to hand it down as a vene- 
rated object to the latest ages of the world. 
The patriarch Abraham spread his tent under 
the oak of Mamre, and formed a grove of this 
tree for the accommodation of his family and 
friends, where they might rest their weary 
limbs and drooping bodies in the heat of the 
day. Under an oak Joshua set up the taber- 
nacle of the Lord, that the congregation might 
with comfort perform the public services of 
religion. How highly the descendants of 
Jacob valued those oaks which grew on Bashan 
may be gathered from a remark in the book of 
Ezekiel with reference to Tyre — " of the 
oaks of Bashan have they made thine oars." 
Throughout the East it was customary to bury 
the dead under an oak, so that the relations 
might sit over the grave screened from the 
'fierce heat of tlie sun. This imperial plant, even 
" Jove's own tree, 
That holds the woods in awful sovereignty," 
was well known all over Greece, and forms the 
basis of many a Hellenic legend. According 
to some, Jupiter's might was derived from the 
cak ; and with a disinterestedness worthy of 
imitation, he no sooner felt its power within 
him, than this father of gods and men set him- 
self to the task of teaching mankind to live 
uponacorns, sothattheymightparticipatein his 
puissance. The temple and oracle of this god 
in Dodona, the most ancient in all Greece, was 
surrounded by oaks, which, with the ground in 
the neighbourhood, was endued with a pro- 
phetic spirit. The oaks, therefore, became 
endowed with this gift, and delivered oracles. 
So far as the classic page is concerned, the 
voice of antiquity directs us to no tree more 
generally than the oak. It grew chiefly and 
in greatest abundance on the slopes and heights 
of Hellas, introduced, it is true, near to resi- 
dences, for the sake of its umbrageous and 
cool arches in summer time ; but still in its 
greatest perfection in the magnificent solitudes 
far from the busy hum of men. The state of 
art, of poetry, and elegance in Athens might 
have been pretty correctly ascertained from a 
simple fact connected with this object — the in- 
tense, yet discriminating delight with which the 
people looked upon the beauties of the oak in 
its numerous varieties, during its gorgeous au- 
tumnal appearance. Notwithstanding our 
advance in civilization and refinement, and 
love for sylvan imagery, it is questionable 
whether we are yet up to the mark of that 
taste which the Athenians exhibited in all that 
relates to trees and planting. 
The Mulberry is generally reckoned as a 
Biblical tree, but it is very doubtful if it has 
really a right to be so included. Loudon, with- 
out inquiring whether our translators were 
right in rendering the original term bara, at 
once concludes that the tree is twice mentioned 
in the Sacred Writings. Hasselquist states, 
that the mulberry scarcely ever grows in Judea, 
very little in Galilee, though abounding in 
Syria and in the mountains of Lebanon. In 
Chronicles, the term becaim is rendered pear- 
trees, and Aquila and the Vulgate have it in 
the same way. Parkhurst gives it as his opi- 
nion that baca means a kind of large shrub 
from which is distilled an odoriferous gum, and 
in this opinion lie is strengthened by the fact 
that the Arabs have a shrub corresponding 
with this description, which they likewise cak 
baca. Its other associations rest on a clearer 
foundation. Pyramus, who lived in Babylon, 
became enamoured of Thisbe, a very beautiful 
virgin of that city. The flame was mutual, 
but their parents forbade marriage, so thattho 
lovers regularly interchanged sentiments 
through an aperture in a wall which separated 
their houses. They agreed to meet at a given 
time at the tomb of Ninus, which was over- 
shadowed by a white mulberry-tree, and with- 
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