192 
MELANCHOLY. 
The weeping willow is a native of the 
east, and is greatly admired for its drooping 
pendulous branches, waving over our lakes 
and streams. 
Thus o’er our streams do eastern willows lean 
In pensive guise ; whose grief inspiring shade, 
Love has to melancholy sacred made. 
DELILLE. 
It grows wild on the coast of Persia, and 
is common in China. The celebrated speci¬ 
men in Pope’s garden at Twickenham is 
said to have been the first introduced into 
England; but this we believe to be erro¬ 
neous. 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 pro¬ 
duce something which we did not possess in 
England. With this idea he planted a cut¬ 
ting, from whence sprang the parent tree of 
many of our finest and most admired speci¬ 
mens. 
