Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IX.djvu/736

 716 JUNIUS in exposed situations, upon sterile soil near the sea, are of slow growth, and often assume picturesque and even fantastic forms ; along the coast it is rarely more than 30 ft. high, but at the west it reaches 60 and even 90 ft. Upon the old branches the leaves are small, scale- like, and appressed ; but those on the young plant nnd on the young shoots of old trees are much longer, sharp and spreading. The wood is light, close-grained, and very durable; the sap wood white, and the heart wood of a dark red, a fact recognized in the common name. The durable character of the wood adapts it for fence posts, and this together with the forms assumed by the branches makes it the most desirable material for rustic fences, sum- mer houses, pavilions, and the like ; it is much used in the manufacture of pails and tubs ; it is employed by the pencil makers in place of the more rare pencil cedar, /. Bermudiana. Much more use is made of the red cedar as a tree for planting in the western states than at the east, as it grows more rapidly there. It was at one time highly recommended for hedges and windbreaks ; but as it soon becomes ragged at the base, it has fallen into disrepute. The true savin is J. sabina, a native of Europe ; it differs from the red cedar mainly in its larger fruit, which is nodding upon a recurved pe- duncle-like bractlet. A prostrate form of this, var. procumbens, is found from Maine to Wis- consin, along the great lakes, and northward. This has a dense, closely spreading habit, and a dark green color, which makes it much prized as an ornamental plant ; it is known as the prostrate juniper, J. prostrata of the nurse- ries. The leaves of the savin have a limited use in medicine, as the active ingredient in savin cerate, a stimulant application to ulcers. The Rocky mountain juniper is /. occidentals, not over 40 ft. high, and found from the Rocky mountains westward. There are several exotic species in cultivation, most of which are of un- certain hardiness in the northern states ; among the hardy ones are /. squamata, a shrub-like species from the Himalayas, and the Chinese juniper (J. Chinensig), the two sexes of which have leaves so unlike that they appear like dif- ferent species ; the sacred juniper of India (J. religiosa) is hardy in some localities. JUSflPS, the signature of an English political writer, the author of letters which appeared in the London "Public Advertiser" newspaper between Jan. 21, 1769, and Jan. 21, 1772. As acknowledged in the first authorized collection, the series consisted of 44 letters by Junius and 15 by Philo-Junius, an auxiliary part being as- sumed under the second name for the purpose of supporting and defending the principal char- acter, but with the design of being ultimately avowed. There have been preserved also 62 brief business letters which he addressed to Woodfall, the publisher of the " Public Adver- tiser," between April 20, 1769, and Jan. 19, 1773, and 10 letters written by him in private correspondence with John Wilkes between Aug. 21, and Nov. 9, 1771. To the same hand are attributed also 113 letters, on various po- litical subjects and under different signatures, as Mnemon, Atticus, Lucius, Brutus, and Do- initian, published in the " Public Advertiser " between April 28, 1767, and May 12, 1772. Some of these are of doubtful authenticity, and few of them are so elaborately finished and polished as the letters of Junius, to which sig- nature he adhered for his most important ad- dresses after the extraordinary effect produced by the first letter under it, apparently employ- ing others when he wrote for explanatory and collateral purposes. The utmost period in which the agency of Junius can be traced is thus less than six years, and the period in which he wrote his acknowledged letters is about three years. These letters, directed against the ministry and the leading public characters connected with it, contain some of the most effective specimens of invective to be found in literature. Their condensed and lucid diction, studied and epigrammatic sarcasm, daz- zling metaphors, and fierce and haughty per- sonal attacks, arrested the attention of the gov- ernment and of the public. Not less start- ling was the immediate and minute knowledge which they evinced of court secrets, making it believed that the writer moved in the circle of the court, and was intimately acquainted not only with ministerial measures and intrigues, but with every domestic incident. They ex- hibited indications of rank and fortune as well as scholarship, the writer affirming that he was "above a common bribe" and "far above all pecuniary views." When Woodfall was prose- cuted in consequence of Junius's letter to the king, the author promised to make restitution to him of any pecuniary loss. The authorship of Junius was the greatest secret of the age. Every effort that the government could devise or private indignation prompt was in vain made to discover it. The earl of Mansfield and other legal advisers of the crown had many consultations as to how this " mighty boar of the forest," as he was called by Burke, could be most adroitly ensnared in the net- work of the law. The host of enemies whom he aroused in every direction were eager in plotting schemes for his detection. But, aware that his power and perhaps his personal safety depended upon concealment, he continued to astonish every one by his secret intelligence and to assail the government with undiminished intrepidity and rancor, revealing his apprehen- sions and precautions only in his private notes to Woodfall. His security was doubtless due in large measure to the forbearance and honor of this publisher, who followed strictly the imper- ative and precise orders of his correspondent. In one of his letters to a public character Junius gave as a reason for his concealment : " Though you would fight, there are others who would assassinate." In a letter to Woodfall he writes : " I must be more cautious than ever. I am sure I should not survive a discovery three