II 



rather than the Gnomes, had taken u* in charge — and that steady and con- 

 tinuous down pour commenced, which I have known even on other occasions 

 to welcome the unfrequent visitors to the Forest. From the top of Little 

 Dean Hill, by Cinderford to the Speech House, we passed through scenery 

 which in fair weather (for I can personally vouch that the weather there is 

 sometimes fair) is of a rare beauty, and the roads too are good for horses 

 who do not object to nearly perpendicular ascents and descents 



Subjects of interest to the Naturalist abound here at every step — a land 

 of primaeval Forest is invaluable to the Botanist or the Entomologist. The 

 Mineralogist detects, In the very outline of the landscape, the bold and 

 irregular forms of the old red sandstone, while heaps of ochre, furnaces of 

 iron, and pits of coal attest the mineral treasures of the region, and the 

 Ornithologist sees, not unfrequently, the now rather rare and always 

 beautiful fork-tailed kite wheeling; his graceful circles overhead. But alas, 

 in a hard rain, the only circle to be seen overhead is the grateful but not 

 graceful one of the umbrella, and though to the right and left we occasionally 

 caught glimpses of giant oaks and fine hollies — though now and then a ray 

 of light shewed us a noble extent of the hill and valley of the ancient 

 Forest, yet it so soon was lost that we were not tempted to leave our vehicle 

 till we reached the Speech House. This is a curious building — as nearly as 

 may be in the centre of the Forest — containing, besides a small Inn, the 

 courts where the Forest law has for centuries been administered by the 

 Verderers or Officers of the Crown, sworn to try all offences against the 

 Queen's Vert and Venison. The original Hall has lately been altered and 

 improved, I should rather say done up — being abridged of much of its fair 

 proportions, and made comfortable and comparatively uninteresting. 



From the Speech House we proceeded towards Coleford, somewhat 

 better equipped against the weather than we had previously been, Inasmuch 

 us I find recorded in the Annals of the Cotteswolds Club, that one of our 

 members rendered illustrious a piece of stair carpet, by borrowing it to 

 wear as a praid and (like Hampden) " glad he could escape soe." 



Arrived at Coleford through equally beautiful but equally hidden scenery, 

 we found that two hours yet remained before dinner, and the question 

 arose, should we dry ourselves, or should we walk three miles through rain 

 and fog to the Buckstone. Honour is due to the undaunted hearts who decided 

 for the latter, and in a pelting rain we again sallied forth. But here we 

 had our reward. Scarcely had we penetrated the thick brushwood which 

 lines the summit of a hill overlooking the lovely valley of the Wye, and 

 saw before us that singular mass of a conglomerate of quartz pebbles, 

 which is called the Buckstone, standing on a point — apparently so insecure, 

 yet having survived the rise and ruin of man's stateliest struclures— than 

 suddenly the rain ceased, the sun broke forth, somewhat dark and lowering 

 indeed, but with all that distinctness of the outline and that charm of light 

 and shade which is ever given by a stormy day to a mountainous prospect. 

 After half an hour's enjoyment of this unexpected pleasure, the rain again 

 commenced and we returned to Coleford, and after dinner to Gloucester, 

 wheuce some of our bold brethren carried out their determination of return- 

 ing at once to Cirencester, and reached it, as I am informed, within the 

 lour and twenty hours from the time they had left it. 



I have taken much time in describing this excursion— partly because it 

 took place in a district which is but little known to many of the people of 

 our county — partly because that district is one of the most rich and varied 

 both In interesting productions of nature and in valuable materials for art, 

 but more than either — because the good humour and enjoyment which 

 pervaded our party from first to last, shewed that, however any pleasure 

 might be increased by fine weather, our spirits did not sink with the 

 barometer, ami that our love of Nature was not dependant on her holiday 

 smiles and her gala dress, but that we loved her for her own sake and in all 

 her varied forms, as an object worthy alike of our study and veneration 



On the third gathering of our Club, on October the Oth (for I must hurry 



