he languages of Europe," delighted me greatly, for two reasons: the
first, for its proof that in spite of the development of species, the sweet
gleaming of birch stem has never changed its argent and sable for any
unchequered heraldry; and the second, that it gave proof of a much more
important fact, the keenly accurate observation of Aryan foresters at that
early date; for the fact is that the breaking of the thin-beaten silver of
the birch trunk is so delicate, and its smoothness so graceful, that until
I painted it with care, I was not altogether clear-headed myself about the
way in which the chequering was done: nor until Fors today brought me to
the house of one of my father's friends at Carshalton, and gave me three
birch stems to look at just outside the window, did I perceive it to be a
primal question about them, what it is that blanches that dainty dress of
theirs, or, anticipatorily, weaves. What difference is there between the
making of the corky excrescence of other {173} trees, and of this almost
transparent fine white linen? I perceive that the older it is, within
limits, the finer and whiter; hoary tissue, instead of hoary
hair--honouring the tree's aged body; the outer sprays have no silvery
light on their youth. Does the membrane thin itself into whiteness merely
by stretching, or produce an outer film of new substance?[46]

4. And secondly, this investiture, why is it transverse to the
trunk,--swathing it, as it were, in bands? Above all,--when it breaks,--why
does it break round the tree instead of down? All other bark breaks as
anything would, naturally, round a swelling rod, but this, as if the stem
were growing longer; until, indeed, it reaches farthest heroic old age,
when the whiteness passes away again, and the rending is like that of other
trees, downwards. So that, as it were in a changing language, we have the
great botanical fact twice taught us, by this tree of Eden, that the skins
of trees differ from the skins of the higher animals in that, for the most
part, they won't stretch, and must be worn torn.

So that in fact the most popular arrangement of vegetative adult costume is
Irish; a normal investiture in honourable rags; and decorousness of
tattering, as of a banner borne in splendid ruin through storms of war.

5. Now therefore, if we think of it, we have five {174} distinct orders of
investiture for organic creatures; first, mere secretion of mineral
substance, chiefly lime, into a