WEEPING WILLOW. 
207 
THE WEEPING WILLOW 
By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, when we re¬ 
membered thee, O Sion! As for our harps we hanged them up 
upon the willows that are therein. psalms. 
We cannot conceive a more touching appeal to human 
sympathy, than the mournful complaints of the daughters 
of Jerusalem. Their Babylonish conquerors having led 
them away captive, required of them “ a song, and melody 
in their heaviness; ‘ Sing us one of the songs of Sion. 
But the hearts of her children were surcharged with grief, 
and they asked, “ How shall we sing the Lord’s song in 
a strange land?” They were oppressed with sorrow,— 
they were bowed down with affliction, — they “hanged 
their harps upon the willows, and sat down and wept.” 
Is not then the weeping willow a sacred emblem of mel¬ 
ancholy ? 
The weeping willow is a native of the east, and is greatly 
admired for its drooping pendulous branches, waving over 
our lakes and streams. 
It grows wild on the coast of Persia, and is com-non 
in China. The celebrated specimen in Pope’s garden at 
Twickenham, is said to have been the first introduced into 
England ; but this we believe to be erroneous. The poet 
chanced to be present on the opening of a package which 
came from Spain, and observing that the sticks had some 
vegetation, fancied they might produce something which 
did not usually grow in England. With this idea he planted 
