of about four acres, in which four very narrow roads met; that we had travelled, another before us, and one on each hand. The way ftrait on we were cautioned by my friends not to go, as it was a terrible ride; but whether to turn to the right or left, we had forgot. I thought to the right; but my lad was positive, he remembered the direction was to take the lefthand road. This caufed a ftop for fome time, and as I was a little fatigued, I thought it beft while we paufed to dine. Finn brought immediately fome meat, bread, and a bottle of cyder, from his valife, and under a great oak I fat down, while our horfes fed on the green. One hour we rested, and then went on again, to the left, as O Finn advised. For feveral hours we rid, or rather, our horfes walked, till we got out of the wood, and then arrived at the bottom of a steep mountain; one fide of which is in the northern extremity of Westmoreland, and the other in the north end of StanemoreRichmondshire. This vaft hill we afcended, and came down the other fide of the fell into a plain, which extends fouth-east for near half a mile to the river Teese, that divides the north end of Stanemore from Bishoprick, or the county of Durham. Yorkfhire here ends in an obtufe angle, between two mountains, and the angle, for a quarter

of a mile, is filled with that beautiful tall ever-green tree, the broad-leaved alaternus, intermixed here and there in a charming manner, with the fir tree, the Norway spruce, and the balm of Gilead. It is as fine a grove as can in any part of the world

be seen.

A defcription of a little country-feat, in the northern extremity of Stanemore.

S. 2. Juft at the entrance of it, by the fide of a plentiful fpring, which runs into the Teefe, there ftood the prettieft little house I had ever beheld, and over it crept the pretty rock-rose, the caffine, the fea-green coromilla, and other evergreen fhrubs. Before the house, was a large garden, feven or eight acres of land, under fruit-trees, and vegetables of every kind; very beautifully laid out; and watered in a charming manner by the stream that murmured a thoufand ways from the fpring by the house-door. I have not feen a fweeter thing. It appeared fo beautiful and useful, fo ftill and delightful a place, fo judiciously cultivated, and happily difpofed, that I could not help withing to be acquainted with the owner of fuch a lodge.

A defeription of a fleeping parlour in a grove.

$. 3. As there was no other fence to this fine fpot of ground but a ditch like a ba to keep cattle out, I leaped into the gardens, and roamed about for fome time, to look at the curious things. I then went up to the house, in hopes of feeing a human creature either high or low. I knocked at the door, but no one could I find, though the manfion did not look like an uninhabited place. I then fauntered into the grove behind, and in a winding way of three hundred yards, that had been cut through the perennial wood, and was made between banks of fpringing flowers, beautiful exotics, and various aromatic fhrubs, crept on till I arrived at a fleeping parlour, which stood in the middle of a circular acre of ground, and was furrounded and fhaded with a beautiful grove; the larix, the phoenician cedar, and the upright favin. There was a little falling water near the door, that was pleafing to look at, and charmed the ear. Entering this room, I found the walls painted by fome masterly hand, in baskets of flowers. and the fineft rural scenes. Two handfome couches were on either fide the chamber, and between thefe lits de repos, was as curious a table, for wood and workmanship, as could be feen. Pretty stools ftood near

it, and one arm-chair. It was a sweet filent place, and in every refpect far beyond the fleeping parlour in the gardens at Stow. (6)

§. 4. On one of the couches, as it was then evening, and I knew not what to do, I threw myfelf down, and very foon fell faft afleep. I lay the whole

Paffed the night in the lour in the Sleeping, par

wood.

The

night without waking, and as foon as I could perceive any day, went to see what was become of Finn and the horfes. beafts I found feeding on very good grafs in the green and my lad ftill fnoaring under a great tree: but he was foon on his legs, and gave me the following account.

Finn's ftory.

5. About an hour after my departure from him, he faw a poor man pafs over the plain, who had come down the mountain we defcended, and was going to cross the Teese in a fmall fkiff of his own, in order to go to his cottage on the other fide in Bishoprick: that he lived by fishing and fowling, and fold what he got by land and water to the quality and gentlefolk, twenty miles round

(6) Lord Cobham's, now Earl Temple's feat in Buckinghamshire, 59 miles from London.

him. And on asking who lived in the house before us, on the fkirts of the grove, he faid, it belonged to a young lady of great fortune, Mifs Antonia Cranmer, whofe father had been dead about a year, (died in the house I faw): that fhe was the greatest beauty in the world, and only nineteen, and for one fo young, wife to an aftonishing degree that the lived moftly at this feat, with her coufin, Agnes Vane, who was almoft as handfome as fhe: that Mifs Cranmer had no relish for the world, being used to ftill life, and feldom stirred from home, but to vifit an old lady, her aunt, who lived in Cumberland: that he was at prefent there, about twenty miles off, and would foon return: that he kept four young gentlewomen (who had no fortunes) to attend her and Mifs Vane; two old men fervants, a gardener, and a cook; and two boys that whenever fhe went from her house, she took her whole family with her, and left every place locked up as I faw. Finn's account furprised me. It fet me athinking if it was poffible to get this charming girl. I paufed with my finger in my mouth for a few minutes, and then bid him faddle the horses.

The author's

§. 6. As foon as it was manner of liv- poffible, I went over the river

to