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without fhade; crouds of monkey gures, marked the fine clipped holly, the yew, and the box; while flaming red gravel gave its affiftance, in a thousand methodical zig-zag walks, to dazzle the eyes, as well as fcorch the feet, while tracing the dull round of every childish parterre.

What man of taste can behold the ftu died labour of Hampton or Kenfington, without mortification and difguft! Instead of those delightful scenes which rise from the hand of taste, thofe scenes which captivate on the first fight, and rivet the attention, he fighs to fee nature thus mutilated and torn by the pencil of art his eyes are every where abforbed in proud expence, and taftelefs prodigality; he looks round him, walks, finds himself. ftill furrounded by a tiresome fameness his expectation is wearied out, and he retires unfatisfied and fatigued. But these fantastic whims, thefe ridiculous fopperies

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in the art of gardening, are at length become obfolete; the champions for magnificence and regularity, tho' reluctantly, admit the force of the prefent elegant tafte, and the fight of two or three mafterly productions, hath charmed them into conviction.

Among the many justly celebrated places in this kingdom, which have merited a description, none perhaps deferve it more than Hagley, Envel, and the Leafowes. In these places appear almost every beauty the fancy can wish for, or the moft refined tafte can give; the eye is never hurt by a trifling or uninteresting object, but roves from scene to fcene with new delight, and the fpectator is charmed into approbation, and an acknowledgment of the merit they are so justly famed for.

I don't know any country that can boast a greater variety, or more enchant

ing prospects than appear from every eminence, and every valley, within the vicinity of the above-mentioned places. From Birmingham, indeed, for about five or fix miles, little appears to confirm that opinion; but the attention of the traveller is, perhaps, as pleafingly amufed by the furprizing populoufnefs and cultivation which appears round him. Industry is every where apparent, and chearfulness and plenty feem to blefs the doors of every cot. Even children of both fexes are feen bufily employed, and the tinkling of hammers is the conftant mufic of the road: the vast quantity of nails which are ma nufactured within the circle of a few miles, is incredible; almost every indi vidual being employed in that branch, except when called from it by the neceffity of their attending feed time and harveft.

But the opening country foon calls the attention from the bufy face of induftry,

duftry, to an endless variety of objects, equally interesting and beautiful. The fudden appearance of a lovely and rich. expanse, every way embellished with such a profufion of charms, that the eye knows not where to fix, but wanders among the bufy villages, the cultivated fields, and the wood-decked hills, with ineffable delight. Nature from this proud brow* appears replete with thofe diftinctions, which not only fascinate the eye, but fill the mind with the deepest impreffions of the majesty of that power from whence every thing proceeds. It was this happy fpot which drew the attention of a Shenftone, and to his genius the world is indebted for

THE LEASOWE S.

Mucklow Hill.

THE

LEA SO WE S.

MR.

R. Shenftone's merit as a poet, and a man of the most refined taste, is fufficiently known to the world: his poems, particularly his paftorals, evidently confirm him in the firft, and the beautiful difpofition of the many ftriking beauties this delightful place affords, juftifies him in the latter.

The entrance into thefe rural fcenes from the road leading to Hales Owen, is down a fteep gloomy hollow to a gate over-arched with ftones, from whence begins

THE PRIORY WALK.

Through this quiet and fequeftered vale the eye is conftantly amufed by a pleasing variety of objects, equally fim

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