tolerable imitation of a natural waterfall,-of ten or more feet in height; and, below this, a shorter fall is feen, without a head of water. UNFORTUNATELY, however, for Art, fhe could not augment the ftream; which is naturally much too flender, to give full effect to this ingenious device; facred, we understood, to Venus. This cascade only plays occafionally; and we arrived at an uninteresting moment. PURSUING a path, down one fide of the waterlefs channel, we came to a "root house"-a rustic alcove; and, paffing through this, foon found ourfelves at the principal entrance: happily defigned! well calculated to impress the mind with romantic imagery; and those who are defirous of being enchanted, at the Leafowes, fhould certainly enter here. Indeed, the entire dingle, between this entrance and the refervoir, is delightful; or would be, if its native rill were permitted to gurgle in its own channel; which, by nature or art, is happily ftrewed with stone and pebbles; and overhung with trees, that stretch their crooked arms, from the high rugged banks which accompany it ; filling. it with gloom, and an air of folitude; which, in contrast to gayer scenery, is ever delightful to minds bending willingly to contemplation. How How many paffages, equally delightful, has Na ture furnished, in this island. All that art can add are rustic paths, to render them pervious to human footsteps, with fuch refting places as fortuitous circumstances will ever point out; as the shelf of a rock, the trunk of a fallen tree; or natural coves in the banks, furnished with blocks or benches: a fpecies of rural embellishment which is procurable at a small expence. THE path, which accompanies this pebbly channel, leads down to a pool of water, at the junction of the two dells; fed by this and a fifter rill, which paffes occafionally down the further branch. Over this pool, the church of Hales-owen, backed by a well broken distance, produce a picturable view; and near this piece of water, stands a meanlooking building, or ruin, or either, named the Priory. PROCEEDING up the dell, by a path which leads towards the houfe, we ftooped into another ruftic alcove, formed with the roots of trees, and calked with mofs;-above which appeared another dry cafcade! WISHING to fee the economy and effect of one of these ingenious contrivances, the perfon who had the care of the grounds obligingly indulged us; us; and having examined the refervoir-a well fized horse pool-and feen the stopple, we took our feats in the root house, last mentioned,where "'Twas filence all and pleasing expectation-" At length, the water gushed out from among fome large roots of a tree, falling five or fix feet perpendicular; presently we faw it again tumbling down another precipice (of three or four feet high)—and another; until my companion was in extacy. And having made a graceful fweep at our feet, it hid its head among fome roots and well formed rocks. "Very pretty upon my word!" And pray. is not the cascade of tin and horfebeans at Vauxhall very pretty? Quare, Did Vauxhall copy after the Leafowes, or the Leafowes after Vauxhall? LEAVING Our cool retreat, we climbed the steep: an arduous tafk in a hot day. But the views repaid us amply for the toil. The Clent and Wichbury Hills, Kinver Edge, with other picturable eminences, form a variety of pleafing compofitions. This natural gallery abounds with lounging places, and long infcriptions. The path, however, in the part which immediately overlooks the house and grounds of the Leafowes, is well conducted; deviating, naturally, and giving variety of view. BUT, BUT, in the farther part of the fame fteep, and lower down the face of it, a ftraight walk, with a building at one end (a Temple of Pan, or of any other deity or demon), and with a formal vifta in the middle of it, lined out at right angle, in London and Wife's best manner, appear in a fine hanging grove, which overlooks the pasture ground we first entered. This part is probably of more antient date than the rest. FINDING ourselves near our horfes, we dispensed with the proffered difplay of the grand cascade, and fet out for Hagley; leaving the Leafowes, notwithstanding the day was peculiarly favorable to fhady groves and purling ftreams, fomewhat disappointed. For what is it? An ornamental farm? No fuch thing. What has farming to do with Temples, Statues, Vases, Mottos, Inscriptions, Mock Priories, and Artificial Cafcades? Yet do away these and who would vifit the Leafowes: for what would it be then? Why, what it is now held out to be ;-an ornamental farm; a lovely little fpot! Let the paths and the benches (or more fimple feats) remain: lay out others across the farm; now feemingly much wanted: let the rills babble in rough ftoney channels (no matter whether altogether natural, or affifted by art); and if a head of water be deemed indifpenfable, let it be applied to the purpose of turning the wheel of a corn a corn mill; a natural appendage to a farm; and ever a pleafing object in reclufe fcenery. Had poor Shenstone adopted this idea, in the outfet of his plan, he might yet (1785) have lived to enjoy his place; or, while he had lived, might have been happy. It was the expenfive baubles we have seen, which threw him on the rack of poverty; and probably haftened the diffolution of an amiable and valuable man. Strewing pebbles in the channels of the rills, cutting the paths, and providing a few fimple feats; removing the deformities, and fhewing the natural beauties of the place, and the diftances it commands, to advantage, would have been a comparatively fmall expence, which he might have coped with. But does not this view of the Leafowes fuggeft practical ideas? how many places there are, in this ifland, which, with a fimilar expence, might be rendered equally delightful. SECTION THE FIFTH. HAGLE Y THIS has long been celebrated as a fhow place; and is yet in high repute, if we may judge from the concourse of company and carriages which we VOL. I. Y found |