This was the border of Herefordshire, and travelling through scenes of such rural abundance and delight, the way seemed but too short, and the time to pass but too rapidly

away.

To me who had spent the greatest part of the year in the metropolis, the present aspect of surrounding objects was inexpressibly pleasing, with all the sweet interchange of hill and dale, groves and orchards, and the many pleasing varieties of the vegetable world. I little envied the noisy round of the gay city, with all its fascinating and fashionable pleasures, or the squeeze into the confined boundaries of the Theatre, even to view the deep grandeur of a Tragedy. For here the machinery of nature was open and unrestricted, and whilst it cheered the spirits, it was capable of affording much real entertainment. Here were realized the thoughts of Pratt.

"T'was life renewed, escaped from the rude roar, "The care-corroding months, in the dim town, "Where headlong driven, amidst a mass of things, "Dizzy and indistinct, the head confused, "And a long winter's fever on the mind "Had preyed."

With such a pleasing satisfaction of the mind, I hailed with delight the Spire of the Church

of

ROSS,

as it appeared at a distance, shooting up amidst the surrounding foliage, and soon after entering the town, I alighted at the Swan, the only decent Inn in the place, where after tak ing some refreshment, and making the necessary arrangements for the hire of a Galley, and three men for the succeeding day, I felt anxious to see the localities of the place, not a little pleased, at securing the only remaining unengaged boat, at four guineas for the excursion on the morrow.

Who has not heard of the Man of Ross? or if he has not, as I must awow my partial ignorance of him at the moment, he will soon hear and see enough around him of Mr. Kyrle, so much panegyrised in the living pages of Pope. Here he lived, quickly observed my guide, -this was the spot of his usual walk,—these Alms-houses were erected by him, and the Charity foundation which you see yonder, was built from his purse. I was much pleased with

his remarks, and with thinking how well that man must have lived, whose memory could be still cherished with a fond remembrance, and who in the display of the last proofs of his once generous philanthropy, could still be bailed as,

"Dear to the friendless, whom he oft relieved, "Dear to the social, whom his loss has grieved."

A walk from the inn, shewed the fine situation of the town, standing on the brow of a cliff, which over-hung the windings of the river Wye beneath. I can say nothing of its buildings generally, but in terms of disappointment, for the streets are exceedingly narrow, and the houses, with few exceptions, present but the striking picture of decay. I could not then repress my regret, at observing how little such a spot had been valued, or improved; commanding such enchanting prospects, encircled by hills, mantled with wood, and a country capable of vieing with any part of the kingdom, for richness and beauty, and an infinity of unequalled walks and rides, the whole enlivened too, by such a stream as the Wye.

This thought was further increased by a visit to the Church yard. The Church with its lofty spire is neat, but has but few monumental curiosities, though an unusual sight is here witnessed, of an elm in full growth, within the walls overspreading the Altar-piece. Without is a grand plantation of valuable elms, which almost encircles the whole, and by passing a few yards forward, into an adjoining enclosure, called, "The Prospect," the eye embraces an almost indiscribable view over the counties of Hereford, Worcester, Gloucester, and Monmouth, closed by the towering mountains of Wales. This far famed view, is formed by a a pleasing sweep of the Wye, softly flowing in a semicircular bend, almost beneath the feet, which returning in a uniform curve, its distant arm is reverted at Wilton Bridge, and disappears among the rising boundaries. The two extremities of this liquid bow, resemble each other so exactly, and the river is so smooth, and undisturbed, that it is not at once perceptible, in which direction the stream flows. Its regularity is apt to remind us of those lines of Pope,

"Each alley has its brother,

"And half the platform just reflects the other."

But the peninsular spot of ground, does not rise with a gentle sweep; nor can the mountains of Pembrokeshire, which close the distant scene, boast much grandeur. The prevailing defect, was the want of variety and interest in the foreground, which is made up of the formal windings of a silent stream, through a level district; without the relief of either a lofty bank, hanging wood, or any other prominent object. The ruins of Wilton Castle are indeed discerned towards the right, but they want both extent and elevation to render them striking. In many instances the windings of the Wye, add an exquisite charm to the landscape, where the glittering stream, stealing between its lofty banks, is sometimes espied, and sometimes concealed, so as not to betray at once, the secret of its mazy course; but in this instance, all the windings of the river are exposed to view, and leave nothing for ingenuity to disentangle, or imagination to supply.

The evening being the finest imaginable, and anxious to lose no time within doors, I rambled down the banks of this charming river.

On inquiry, I found owing to the multitudi