12 VILLAGE OF SELBORNE. 



glossy foliage, or graceful pendulous boughs.* The 

 down, or sheep-walk, is a pleasing park-like spot, of 

 about one mile by half that space, jutting out on the 

 verge of the hill-country, where it begins to break 

 down into the plains, and commanding a very 

 engaging view, being an assemblage of hill, dale, 

 woodlands, heath, and water. The prospect is 

 bounded to the south-east and east by the vast 

 range of mountains, called the Sussex Downs ; by 

 Guild-down, near Guildford, and by the Downs 

 round Dorking, and Ryegate in Surrey, to the north- 

 east ; which altogether, with the country beyond 

 Alton, and Farnham, form a noble and extensive 

 outline. 



At the foot of this hill, one stage, or step from 

 the uplands, lies the village, which consists of one 

 single straggling street, three quarters of a mile in 

 length, in a sheltered vale and running parallel 

 with the Hanger. The houses are divided from the 

 hill by a vein of stiff clay, (good wheat land,) yet 

 stand on a rock of white stone, little in appearance 

 removed from chalk ; but seems so far from being 

 calcareous, that it endures extreme heat. Yet, that 

 the freestone still preserves somewhat that is ana- 



* The beech is certainly a beautiful tree, either when 

 planted singly or in clumps ; but I cannot agree with our 

 author, in thinking it the "most lovely of all forest trees." The 

 ash and birch, and perhaps the Huntingdon willow, are cer- 

 tainly more elegant and graceful : the former, I think, has 

 been termed by Gilpin, the " Venus " of British trees. The 

 plane and horse-chestnut will outvie it in a dense and deep 

 rich foliage, while the oak will far outstrip all in an imposing 

 and venerable aspect. The beech was formerly much more 

 planted than at present. It was admirably suited for the 

 landscape gardening of the last century ; and the wood was 

 of more value, being much in request for various parts of 

 machinery, which the extensive use of iron has now super- 

 seded. W. J. 



