GROVE, in Gardening, a small wood impervious to the rays of the sun. Groves have in all ages been held in great veneration. The proseuchoe, and high places of the Jews, whither they resorted for the purposes of devotion, were probably situated in groves (see Joshua, xxiv. 26). The proseuchoe in Alexandria, mentioned by Philo, had groves about them; for he complains that the Alexandrians, in a tumult against the Jews, cut down the trees of their proseuchoe. The ancient Romans had groves near several of their temples, which were consecrated to some god, and, as Cicero alleges, called luci, by antiphrasis, a non lucendo, as being shady and dark. The veneration which the ancient Druids had for groves is well known. Modern groves are not only ornaments to gardens, but also afford shelter from the heat of the sun.

Groves are of two sorts, either open or close. Open groves are those which have large shady trees, standing at such distances that their branches approach so near to each other as to prevent the rays of the sun from penetrating through them. Close groves have frequently large trees standing in them; but the ground under these is filled with shrubs or underwood, and the walks are private and screened from winds; by which means they are rendered agreeable for walking, at times when the air is either too hot or too cold in the more exposed parts of the garden. These are often contrived so as to bound the open groves, and frequently to hide the walls or other enclosures of the garden; and when they are properly laid out, with dry walks winding through thetn, and on the sides of these sweet-smelling shrubs and flowers irregularly planted, they have a charming effect.

Grove, Henry, a learned Presbyterian divine, was born at Taunton in Somersetshire in 1683. Having obtained a sufficient stock of classical literature, he passed through a course of academical learning, under the reverend Mr Warren of Taunton, who had a flourishing academy. He then removed to London, and studied some time under the reverend Mr Rowe, to whom he was nearly related. Here he contracted with several persons of merit, and particularly with Dr Watts, a friendship which continued till his death, though they were of different opinions in several points warmly controverted amongst divines. After two years spent under Mr Rowe, he returned to the country, where he began to preach with great reputation. An exact judgment, a lively imagination, and a rational and amiable representation of Christianity, delivered in an agreeable and well-governed voice, soon rendered him generally admired; and the spirit of devotion which prevailed in his sermons procured him the esteem and friendship of Mrs Singer, afterwards Mrs Rowe, which she expressed in a fine ode on death, addressed to Mr Grove. Soon after he began to preach, he married; and on the death of Mr Warren, he was chosen to succeed him in the academy at Taunton. As this obliged him to reside there, he preached for eighteen years to two small congregations in the neighbourhood; and though his salary from both fell short of twenty pounds a year, and he had a growing family, he performed his duty cheerfully. In 1708, he published a piece entitled The Regulations of Diversions, drawn up for the use of his pupils. About the same time, he entered into a private dispute by letter with Dr Samuel Clarke; but as they were not able to convince each other, the debate was dropped with expressions of mutual esteem. He next wrote several papers printed in the Spectator (numbers 588, 601, 626, 635), the last of which was republished, by the direction of Dr Gibson, bishop of London, in the Evidences of the Christian Religion, by Mr Addison. In 1725, Mr James, his colleague in the academy, having died, he succeeded that person in his pastoral charge at Fulwood, near Taunton, and engaged his nephew to undertake the other duties of Mr James as tutor; and in this situation Mr Grove continued till his death, which happened in the year 1738. His great concern with his pupils was to inspire and cherish in them a prevailing love of truth, virtue, liberty, and genuine religion, without violent attachments or prejudices in favour of any party of Christians. He represented truth and virtue in a most engaging light; and though his income, both as a tutor and a minister, was insufficient to support his family without encroaching on his paternal estate, he knew not how to refuse the call of charity. Besides the pieces above mentioned, he wrote, 1. An Essay towards the Demonstration of the Soul’s Immortality; 2. An Essay on the Terms of Christian Communion; 3. The Evidence of our Saviour’s Resurrection considered; 4. Some Thoughts concerning the Proof of a Future State from Reason; 5. A Discourse concerning the Nature and Design of the Lord’s Supper; 6. Wisdom the first spring of Action in the Deity; 7. A Discourse on Saving Faith; 8. Miscellanies in prose and verse; 9. Sermons. After his decease, his posthumous works were published by subscription, in four volumes octavo.