of age, then eighty and forty-six together would bring us to within twenty years of the date of Gray's letter. From this I evolve the theory that the boles were in his day much as they are now; and this being so, I argue that the pollarding oc

case,

curred long prior to Gray's or Cromwell's period, and I believe that whenever it was done the trees were full grown. Such being the the age that has been accorded them in the various articles that have lately been written―viz., 400 or 500 years-is obviously a great deal too little. It would not surprise me should it be discovered that these veritable giants of old were trees at the time of the Norman Conquest.

"I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

"VERNON HEATH.

"43, Piccadilly, Oct. 6, 1883."

While engaged in the investigations I undertook, with the hope of finding something reliable as to the age of these old trees (in which, by the way, I had not the least success), I made a most interesting discovery. In one part of the Beeches, a part which is little known to or visited by the

general public, there are the remains of a very ancient mote, which, to the peasants and others in the neighbourhood, is known as "Harlequin's Mote." These remains are evidently so old that I never could understand why the mote was so named, "harlequin" being relatively a modern word. Once I was examining some old deeds and documents that had been lent me, hoping to find something that would bear upon the age question, when, to my surprise and pleasure, I discovered in one of them that the mote was there spoken of "Hardicanute's," this, no doubt, being its original name; and most probably it was one of the places of defence the Danish king made when, on the death of his brother, the first Harold, he was on his way to seize the crown of England.

as

And now I approach a time, the spring of 1879, which, for artists and all lovers of sylvan scenery, as well as those who delight in open spaces, was very grave and serious. When I first knew the Beeches they were part of the Dropmore Estate, then owned by Lady Grenville, the lady who in her grounds acclimatised the deodar, the araucaria or puzzle-monkey, and the Douglas

pine. At this moment the finest specimens of those trees in this country are to be seen at Dropmore.

On Lady Grenville's death the property came into the hands of Mr. Fortescue, who, after some years' possession, advertised the Burnham Beeches estate for sale.

The effect upon my mind when I discovered that the whole district was to be sold was astounding. I at once wrote to the editor of the World a paragraph that sounded the first note of alarm; then followed my letters to the Times, Morning Post, and Daily Telegraph. Leaders were written advocating the purchase of the Beeches for the use of the public, although to no purpose, for the property was duly put up, but fortunately bought in.

Then a namesake of mine, Mr. Francis George Heath, who himself had laboured for years for the preservation of open spaces, came upon the scene, and he, knowing that which I did notviz., that under the Open Spaces Act the Corporation of the City of London had purchasing powers, asked them to come forward and save Burnham Beeches.

The Corporation consented; but then arose a serious difficulty. The funds at their disposal were, by the Act, limited to the purchase of open spaces, and within the district of the Beeches there were several portions that were enclosed.

It was here Sir Henry Peek co-operated, and his public-spirited help conquered the difficulty. Sir Henry volunteered to purchase the Burnham Beeches estate in its entirety, and re-sell the unenclosed portions to the City Corporation.

This scheme was carried out, and thus it fell to the lot of the Corporation, on the 10th July, 1879, to buy, and dedicate to the use of the public, one of the most interesting and beautiful of their many purchases, not even excepting that which they had previously made-Epping Forest.

On the 12th July, 1879, I wrote the following letter to the Times :

"SIR,-Much as, during many years, I have written and spoken of Burnham Beeches, upon no occasion have I had cause to feel greater satisfaction than now that the action of the Corporation of the City of London has saved them from sale,

and probably from destruction; and, to quote the words of your own report of the meeting of the Court of the Common Council, 'preserved them for the permanent enjoyment of the public.'

"I cannot help feeling that the nation is greatly indebted to the Corporation for their patriotic determination; for, under proper care and supervision, this lovely woodland will become the most charming of all the places that have been purchased for the enjoyment of the public.

"To me, sir, it is extremely gratifying to know that the preservation of these beechesveritable giants of old '-has been decreed, and the public may well be congratulated upon this valuable acquisition to their pleasure and recreation.

It was my privilege to be present at the dedicating ceremony, October 3rd, 1883, a ceremony which the Provost and officials of Eton College brought to a satisfactory termination by asking those who witnessed it to a luncheon in their grand old College Hall.

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