heath. Boethius relates that this liquor was much used by the Picts. The cottagers of heathy commons cut the turf with the heath on it, and after drying it, stack it for the fuel of their hearth and their oven. Bees collect largely both honey and wax from the flowers of the heath, but it is generally of a dark colour. Grouse feed principally on the seeds of the wild heath, for the seed-vessels are formed so as to protect the seeds for a whole year. Cattle are not fond of heath, although goats and sheep will sometimes eat the tender shoots. 280 HOLLY.-ILEX. Natural order, Dumosa. Rhamni, Juss. genus of the Tetrandria Tetragynia class. A "Sing heigh ho! the holly, the holly." SHAKSPEARE. "No tree in all the grove but has its charms, THE Greeks named this tree 'Aypía (agria); which is supposed to be derived from ❝ypios, immitis, from its being armed with prickles. The admirers of Virgil's Pastorals will be reminded of the poetical contentions of Corydon and Thyrsis, when the ilex meets their view. "Beneath a holm, repair'd two jolly swains : Their sheep and goats together grazed the plains." DRYDEN. French naturalists have made the holly the emblem of foresight, because, they say, that the foresight of nature is admirably exemplified in this beautiful tree, which, when growing in its natural forest, protects itself by numerous leaves bristling with thorns, until it arrives to about the height of ten feet, when the leaves cease to be thorny, and are perfectly smooth and even, because it has no longer occasion to arm itself against an enemy who cannot reach higher; but we revere the holly branch with its spiny and highly varnished foliage, which reflects its coral berries, as an emblem that foretells the festival of Christmas, and the season when English hospitality shines in roast beef, turkeys, and the national pudding. Tradition says, that the first Christian church in Britain was built of boughs; and that the disciples adopted the plan, as more likely to attract the notice of the people, because the heathens built their temples in that manner, probably to imitate the temples of Saturn, which were always under the oak. The great feast of Saturn was held in December; and as the oaks of this country were then without leaves, the priests obliged the people to bring in boughs and sprigs of evergreens; and Christians, on the twentyfifth of the same month did the like; from whence originated the present custom of placing holly and other evergreens in our churches and houses, to show the feast of Christmas is arrived. This tree appears to have been formerly called Hulver, by which name it is still known in Norfolk, and Holme, in the southern counties; as appears by the name it has given to many places where it grows naturally, as the Holmwood between Horsham and Dorking. Mr. Evelyn says, that the vale near his house, in Surry, was anciently called Holmesdale. We presume, the name of Holly is a corruption of the word holy, as Dr. Turner, our earliest writer on plants, calls it Holy and Holy-tree; which appellation was given it, most probably, from its being used in holy places. It has a great variety of names in Germany, amongst which is Christdorn; in Danish, it is also called Chirstorn, and in Swedish Christtorn, amongst other appellations; from whence it appears, that it is considered a holy plant by certain classes in those countries. The disciples of Zoroaster believe, that the sun never shadows the holly-tree. There are still some followers of this king of the magi to be found in the wilds of Persia, and some parts of India; who, when a child is born, throw in its face water which has been put in the bark of a holly-tree. Pliny tells us, that Tiburtus built the city of Tibur, near three holly-trees, over which he had observed the flight of birds that pointed out the spot whereon the gods had fixed for its erection; and that these trees were standing in his own time, and must, therefore, have been upwards of 1,200 years old. He also tells us, that there was a holly-tree then growing near the Vatican, in Rome, on which was fixed a plate of brass, with an inscription engraven in Tuscan letters; and that this tree was older than Rome itself, which must have been then more than 800 years (book xvi. chap. 44.). This author notices a holly-tree, in Tusculum, the trunk of which measured thirty-five feet in circumference, and which sent out ten branches of such magnitude that each might pass for a tree; he says, this single tree alone resembled a small wood. The holly grows to a considerable size, even as a timber tree, in this country, when permitted to stand. Cole tells us, in his "Paradise of Plants," that he knew a tree of this kind which grew in an orchard; and the owner, he says, "cut it down, and caused it to be sawed into boards, and made himself thereof a coffin; and if I mistake not, left enough to make his wife one also. Both the parties were very corpulent; and, therefore, you may imagine the tree could not be small." |