TAVISTOCK. 195 



inspection of the neighbouring mine, by courte&y 

 ycleped the ^^Virtuous Lady/' will amply repay the 

 admirer of Nature's wonders, both above and below 

 the surface of the earth. From the adjoining heights 

 the church and clustering houses of Tavistock, 

 appearing literally embosomed in a glorious company 

 of hills, present a pleasing picture of a sweet home- 

 scene. 



The entrance to the town, on the Plymouth side, 

 is nobly finished, at one end, by the archway of Fitz- 

 ford, and, at the other, by the relics of the ancient 

 Abbey, lately repaired and embellished at the order 

 and expence of the Duke of Bedford. As it is well 

 known that the bird of wisdom seeks refuge in the 

 sombre ivy-bush, so the learning of the place has 

 found an asylum in the ivy-crowned turrets of the 

 Abbey. Two rooms are fitted up with excellent 

 taste, one as the Library, the other as the Literary 

 Institution of the place ; a third contains the Muse- 

 um of a society for local and provincial researches 

 recently formed, under the superintendance of Dr. 

 C. Barham. 



We are often honored with visits from strangers 

 of every description, artists in search of the pic- 

 turesque ; beggars in quest of the needful ; inva- 

 lids gasping for the bracing Dartmoor air; street 

 preachers warning us of the dangers of our situation ; 

 and poets extolling its beauties ; each and every one 

 finds a place of refuge to his liking in hostel or 

 barn, and, I trust, all are satisfied, in their own 

 opinion with their reception and sojourn in our fa- 

 vored vicinity. 



I am afraid an architect would discover little 

 beauty in the various structures of my native town ; 

 although a lover of the romantic might enjoy the 

 admirable irregularity which prevails in every quar- 

 ter. Houses high and low, grand and poor, are 

 mingled together in motley confusion ; as if the 

 pixies had had a hand in their most curious founda- 

 tion. Certainly it appears as likely as that men of 



