Your correspondent BURIENSIS (Vol. v. p. 157.) has supplied a quotation from Mr. Hollingsworth to the effect, that these ancient trees were probably Druidical, under whose "leafy tabernacles" the first Christian missionaries preached. This view of their origin is borne out by the ordinary practice of Christian missionaries to the Heathen of the present day, who are frequently driven to the shelter of some umbrageous giant of the forest, to deliver the Word of Life. In some cases I imagine that it may be found that such trees have been rendered sacred by the superstition of the native inhabitants; and it is scarcely venturing too much in supposing, that as the moral wilderness becomes cultivated, that similar traditions with our own may be handed down to future generations, and especially if we look so far forward as to the time when the sable inhabitants of the centre of Africa may in their progress be occupied by curious questions of a bygone age in _their_ "N. & Q." EXON. I quite agree with your correspondent BURIENSIS as to the origin of the title given to various old oak trees in different parts of the country. These trees were no doubt selected on account of either their position, age, or size, as places of assembly for the early Christians, and from them the "Gospel" was, probably, first preached in their respective neighbourhoods. That these trees were connected with religious observances is evident from the following lines in the 502nd poem of Herrick's _Hesperides_. The poem is addressed "To Anthea:"-- ----"Dearest, bury me Under that holy oak, or _Gospel Tree_; Where, though thou see'st not, thou may'st think upon Me, when thou yearly go'st procession." P. T. Stoke Newington. _"Asters with Trains of Fire," &c._ (Vol. v., p. 154.).--MR. HICKSON's objections to this reading are twofold--matter of opinion, and matter of fact: of course, it is only with the latter that I may presume to interfere. I beg to refer him to the precepts of Polonius to his son, no further than the third scene of the same play, amongst which he will find this line: "Costly thy habit, as thy purse can buy." Although it does not prove that "the English language admits of the formation of a perfect sentence without a verb," yet it does show that the verb need not always be expressed; but may be left to the hearer, or reader, to supply, according to the requirements of the context. The line just quoted is found amongst a number of imperative precepts--the verb to be supplied is therefore the imperative of "to be"-- "Costly (_let_) thy habit (_be_)," &c. Similarly, the line to which MR. HICKSON takes exception is found amongst a number of described appearances--the verb, therefore, must be in accordance: "Asters with trains of fire (_appeared_)," &c. Many better examples _of this most common license_ might doubtless be adduced; but I always like to take the nearest at hand.