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The General Aspect of the District. — In many parts it is highly 

 diversified with hill and vale. The town of Godalming stands on the 

 high road to Portsmouth, and is pleasantly situated in a beautiful val- 

 ley bordered by lofty hills, the sides of which, for the most part, are 

 richly clothed with ample foliage, rendering the surrounding scenery 

 highly picturesque. This character extends more or less through the 

 adjoining valleys towards Guildford, adding much beauty to the ge- 

 neral scenery ; and from the different eminences a series of splendid 

 views are to be obtained. The Hog's Back commands a most exten- 

 sive prospect. The view towards the southward presents a magnifi- 

 cent landscape ; in the foreground, the undulating ridges of the vari- 

 ous hills, interspersed with beautiful winding valleys, presenting to 

 the vision a lovely and rural scene. Further on, the eye wanders over 

 the whole extent of the weald of Sussex, rich in foliage, and only ar- 

 rested to the eastward by the bold and mountainous ridge of Leith 

 Hill, which rises to an elevation of nearly 1,000 feet above the level 

 of the sea. This splendid panorama is backed by the lofty outline of 

 the South Downs, which border the English Channel and extend into 

 Hampshire. From other points the views are equally extensive, pe- 

 netrating into the adjoining counties. 



The extensive heaths, "though not unpicturesque, are wild and bar- 

 ren in their aspect, destitute of wood ; " yet there are several large 

 ponds, formed by the embankments across the valleys, the margins of 

 which will afford much pleasure and gratification to the ardent bota- 

 nist. " The surface is, in fact, to this hour, nearly such as it may be 

 conceived to have been when first uncovered by the departure of the 

 sea."' The whole district is intersected with delightful valleys, through 

 which run several rivulets, that flow into the Wey from various sour- 

 ces, amongst which is one that is almost rendered classical by the de- 

 lightful author of Selbome. This, meeting the Blackdown stream at 

 Headley, is joined by the Alton and Farnham branch, at Tilford- 

 bridge, where they form a considerable stream. From this point the 

 Wey proceeds in an eastwardly direction by Elstead &c., receiving in 

 its course several small streams from the neighbourhood of Thursley 

 and Witley, one of which takes its rise in the Devil's Punchbowl, from 

 which source flows a delicious stream, as clear as crystal. The river, 

 after passing by Godalming, from whence it is navigable by the addi- 

 tion of a canal, runs through a long line of pleasant meadows to 

 Guildford, and in its progress receives the tribute of two additional 

 streams, the Arun canal and the Tillingbourne, which add much to 

 its importance ; it ultimately falls into the Thames near Weybridge. 



