10 
and recommended for this purpose by the ancient 
Romans. sc Of all the trees which grow in our woods,” 
says Evelyn, “ there is none which does better suffer 
transplantation than the elm; for you may remove a 
tree of twenty years’ growth with undoubted success:” 
in proof of which he goes on to say, that “ those in¬ 
comparable walks and vistas of them, both at Aranjuez, 
Casal del Campo, Madrid, the Escurial, and other 
places of delight belonging to the King and grandees 
of Spain, are planted with such as they report Philip 
the Second caused to be brought out of England; before 
which it does not appear there were any of those trees 
in Spain.” 
For purposes such as these, the “ length of colonnade” 
and K shaded walks,” the elm was formerly in great 
request. “ Our fathers,” who “ knew' the value of a 
screen,” were wont to form of it those stately avenues 
which led to their hospitable mansions. Some few of 
these “ monuments of ancient taste” are yet left to us; 
but the spirit of modern improvement forbids such 
formal entrances to the newly erected edifice. How far, 
in thus discarding them, it acts either tastefully or 
wisely, let the poet decide, who thus beautifully and 
feelingly deplores the change: — 
