( '78 ) 



the oppofite fide, following it's courfe, on an 

 elevated bank, were as rich as a picturefque 

 imagination could conceive them. The fore- 

 ground indeed was not equal to a fcene, which 

 'was in every other refpecl: fo compleat. 



From hence we afcended a clofe lane cut 

 through Beaulieu-manor j and inriched on both 

 fides, but efpecially on the left, with foreft- 

 fcenery. At Hilltop-gate the lane opens into 

 that extenfive heath, which occupies all the 

 middle part of the peninfula, between the river 

 of Beaulieu, and the bay of Southampton. As 

 this peninfula fhoots into length, rather than 

 breadth, the heathy grounds follow it's form; 

 and extend feveral miles in one direction ; tho 

 feldom above two, in the other. The banks 

 of both rivers are woody ; and thefe woods ap- 

 peared, as we entered the heath, to fkirt it's ex- 

 tremities. Through thefe extremities, contain- 

 ing the mofl beautiful parts of the country, we 

 meant to travel. At Hilltop therefore, inftead 

 of crofling the heath, we turned fhort into a 

 road on the right, which led us along the fkirts 

 of the woods, under the ihade of which we 

 travelled about a mile. Sometimes thefe woods 

 ihot like promontories into the heath, and we 

 were obliged to ride round them > but oftener 



our 



