11 
« Yc fallen avenues! once more I mourn 
Your fate unmerited, once more rejoice 
That yet a remnant of your race survives. 
Mow airy and how light the graceful arch ! 
Vet awful as the consecrated roof 
Re-echoing pious anthems! while beneath 
The checker'd earth seems restless as a flood 
Brush’d by the wind. So sportive is the light 
Shot through the boughs, it dances as they dance, 
Shadow and sunshine intermingling quick, 
And dark’ning and cnlight’ning, as the leaves 
Play wanton, cv’ry moment, ev’ry spot.” 
Judging from the frequency of his allusions to it, the 
elm must have been held in high esteem by Cowper. 
Describing one of his rambles, he says, — 
- " There, fast rooted in their bank. 
Stand, never overlook’d, our favourite elms.” 
rhus, again, in his sketch of “ the peasant’s nest,” — 
“ ’ Tis perch’d upon the green hill top, but close 
Environ’d with a ring of branching elms. 
That overhang the thatch.” 
And once more,— 
“ 1 he grove receives us next, 
Between the upright shafts of whose tall elms 
We may discern the thresher at his task.” 
