226 ON TORQUAY AND ITS ENVIRONS. 



have been insufficient to have elevated her to the present point in 

 the scale of rank, but for the diligence of the individual before 

 alluded to. Nature seems to have formed Torquay, as if with 

 an intuitive foresight as to its future destination, and to have 

 erected by her magjical exertions, a world of wonder in miniature; 

 and as if in a freak of her playful fancies she had deterniined to 

 try her skill in producing most happily one of the most lovely 

 little coves, and luxuriant gardens, wliich adorn the varied and 

 refreshing landscapes of Devon. Its appearance to the stranger 

 on his first entrance is of the most delightful kind : a pretty little 

 basin of water, round it quays, handsome shops in its front, 

 elegant terraces rising: perspective on the one hand, richly fertile 

 woods on the other, classical villas peeping out from green shrub- 

 beries, and before you an expanse of ocean almost unbounded in 

 its extent, dashing in its foam upon the shores, and rolling in 

 with that peculiar noise which is indescribable to him, who has 

 not heard it. Now this, methinks, is a very bright picture, very 

 dazzling, highly colored, and well dipped in the colors of the 

 imagination ; but perhaps rather a delusion of the poetical faculty, 

 than a sober description of the truth. Goethe would have started 

 into poetry had he once viewed Torquay, — you cannot help it, 

 you are overcome by the picturesque, — and you cannot clothe ia 

 words the unspeakable feelings of your heart. But there is 

 another side to the pancake. Here are big houses, and big rents ; 

 big lodgings, and big demands ; big inns, and big expences ; and 

 very very big shopkeepers, almost bursting with pride. Now I 

 hereby recommend every lady, whether married or maiden, and 

 every gentleman, whether single or crossed with a wife, and pro- 

 vided he or she has plenty of money, to go there for a trip, and 

 to be extremely careful how he or she parts with it : for the 

 waiters are as civil as possible, and the ladies' maids are so pretty, 

 and therefore expect something, and the landladies are so clean' 

 and so anxious about the state of your health and pockets ; and 

 every thing is so very handy, that you ought to have a very tight 

 button on every pocket. 



M. A. P. 



