Needwood^forefl is a moft interefting fpot. Here 

 near 10,000 acres of one of the fined foils of the 

 kingdom lie in a ftate of nature, wild and romantick! 

 beautiful in the eye of the fox-hunter aud the fportf- 

 raan. But, confidering the flate of population and 

 confumption of landed produce, its continuance in 

 its prefent ftate is cei-tainly indefenlible upon any 

 found principle of general policy. Here the war- 

 blers of the wood chaunt forth their mellifluent notes, 

 and the herds of deer range at will over the plain, 

 or through the thicket. The fox, and the badger 

 burrow on the declivity of the deep glen, the rabbit 

 on the fandy hill, and the hare hides itfelf in the 

 thicket. The woodcock, the fnipe, the pheafant, 

 and the partridge, abound in profufion ; but all often 

 difturbed by their tyrant mafter — man. 



The natural difpofition of this extenfive foreft 

 comprehends a great and beautiful variety of afpe<S. 

 Gradual eminences and eafy vales, with mean- 

 dering rills, and now and then a bolder and more 

 abrupt fwell, form the general feature of the foreft: 

 a fit fubject for any degree of improvement by hu- 

 man art and induftry. In the northern parts, par- 

 ticularly within Marchington woodlands, the afpeft 

 is bolder. Here the foreft is compofcd of deep 

 glens, furrounded by abrupt precipices; impraftica- 

 ble to the plough, but happily well clothed with 

 wood, amongft which the ftout native oak, young, 

 luxuriant, and of vigorous growth, is in great abund- 

 ance. 



