The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-09-29
From the Newark Sentinel.
Trees,

published some years ago, on Civic and
Rural Decoration, can have very little
more to say on the subject Of trees. Yet
the older grow, the more feel interested
for posterity, and desire my sons and grand
sons to have abundance Of shade. The
tests about the tree.less condition Of Scot
land have gone on for so many years, that
il DIR. Johnson could return and renew his
tour. he would find outrageous plantations
on every hand: indeed the very best method
Of transplanting mature trees comes to US
from Scotland. DIR. Whiterspoon used to
say, that when he sailed up the Delaware,
on his arrival in this country, he was at
every turn tempted to ask what noblemsn'
seat he was looking at; so accustomed was
he to associate grove with wealth and
artificial plantation. Dreadful havoc has,
however, been made in these forests during
the last century; and even the trees around
old mansions have, upon change Of own
ers. been barbarously hewn down.
1t was my lot to live several years in the
neighborhood Of the eccentric and eloquent
John Randolph, Of Roanoke; and often
heard the remark made, that he would not
allow even any looping or trimming of his
trees. He used to say, in reference to the
connexlOn between aristocracy and "ances-
trail trees, ANY upstaTt can build fine
house, but he cannot build the old oaks. l"
In that same country | was most familiar
with spot settled by retired officer Of
the Revolution, but now dismantled, and
occupied by an oyerseer; yet four matches
oaks still tower above the ruins, and there
are the remains Of four rows Of catalpa
trees, which once extended nearly half a
mile. When lived there, it was pleas
ant thought that my honored father had
lived there also, and had enjoyed the same
shade thirty years before; how sacred then
must be the associations Of one who walks
among trees which have sheltered his fore
fathers for centuries! Are we to give up
all such fancies at the beck Of communists
ond red republicans
Trees have figured in literature, and
struck their roots deep in the poetry of all
ages. Although taste for the picturesque
does not characterize the ancienis, and there
is little description of natural scenery in
their proseworks, and yet we find excep-
tons in regard 10 trees. One remarkable
instance will promptly occur to all clsssi-
cal scholars; it is the famous platanus, in
the shade of which Socrates kept his place
while he discussed, constantly moving
from the sun; il is mentioned both by Plato
and Cicero.~ The choral illusions to
groves, in Greek tragedy, are also familiar.
The latin word lucus carried religious as.
sociations which belonged to no other term,
and was shadowy with such imsginations as
hover over Virgii's line,
ct ealigGEtsm nigra formidine lueum
These superstitions were founded OH natu.
raj sentiment, as he may understand who
will recall some twilight hour, when he
found himself musing and gazing into the
recesSes OF dark ancient tree, till over
taken by night. The poet is one who can
unfold the Herculanean papyrus of such
thoughts, and decipher the hieroglyphic Of
Imagination, and translate the vagueness Of
these inklings into the idiom OF common
life. Perhaps it has never been more com.
pletely done, than by Wordsworth, in the
EEw TREES:
"a pillar'd shade,
Upon whose arassless floor Of red-brown hue,
BY sheddings from the pining umbrage Hinged
Perennially-beneath whose sable roof
OF bOughs, as il for festal purpose decked
With unrej oicing berries ghostly Shapes
May meet at noontde-Fear and TREMBLING
Hope,
Silence and Foresight--Deaih the Skeleton
And time the Shadow."-etc.
| wish attention were more frequently
drawn, by parents and other educators. to
the individuality Of great trees, which have
each their physiognomy, as much as so
many rnen. And could We read the char.
acter, in these lineamens Of trunk and
boughs and "shadowing shroud" "a noble
old English word, for which we have no
substitute,D we should read the impress
sions of spring tides, Of droughts, and of
tempests. An old tree is an old friend, and
we do well 10 take pains that our sons may
hereafter love its very wrinkles. The tree
of the park or pleaSaunce, and the tree of
the forest, are as different as the old knotty,
gnarled, unmovable baron, and the alert,
smooth, thriving, average dweller in cities
The same reasons operate in both cases.
Character becomes more inspissated, Juicy.
full Of tannin and fbiD, where there has
been elbow-room for the mighty branches
to wrestle with the winds. Look at an
'old field OF the South, in which a thou.
sand young pines have sprung up spontane.
ously, side by side, and you are instantly
reminded Of boarding school of sweet
young ladies; the same name would do for
all. On the other hand, do know a soil.
tary tree, fit for Druids and predominatng
over a waste meadow, which is so reverend
in its eloquence that it breaches a sermon
TO me whenever / pass or contemplate it,
"Those messed trees, that have outliyed
the eagles" should covenant with us TO
leave something Of their kind for our de. |
scendants.
OF the ways and means of planting, and
Of woodcIaft in general, | know as little as
other idle, pragmaiic spectators: admire
and love the poem that | cannot make
But l heartily honor those Of my accom-.
olished countrymen who are writing on this
ubject, and stimulating our people to care
or trees. The inhabitants of Newark have
standing, living pledge of the superior
sPlst. Phasdr., Gle de Orat. 1. IL.
Ezekiel XXI. 8.