Four Trees 
But perhaps the best place of all for a 
Lombardy poplar is beside a cottage, where 
its lines contrast with the lowness of the 
architectural lines yet are excused by them 
and give them increased dignity as well as 
charm. I have often seen it thus by a Eu- 
ropean cottage which was enchantingly pict- 
uresque but, without its poplar, would have 
been commonplace and tame. The Lom- 
bardy’s value, I say, is the value of a pro- 
nounced accent ; and everyone knows that 
accentuation of any sort should have a good 
reason to excuse it, and should not be often 
repeated. Monotony itself is better, in the 
long run, than an exclamatory style. 
Wholly different in character is the weep- 
ing willow, but even more difficult to use 
really well. Its excessive pliancy, its mourn- 
ful, disconsolate expression, make it as con- 
spicuous as the tallest poplar to eyes which 
can note the forms of trees even when they 
are not relieved against the sky. As soon 
as we see a weeping willow it almost shouts 
out its contrast to the simpler shapes of the 
trees which determine the general character 
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