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 common 
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 
