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where it enters Lancashire. After passing Ribchester, 

 it enters a dale of considerable beauty, to which it gives 

 name ; it next encompasses the handsome town of Pres- 

 ton, soon after which it discharges itself by a broad 

 sandy outlet. No rivers occur (except such as have 

 been already described) that need detain us between 

 the Ribble and the Wye. This latter river rises on the 

 south side of Plinlimmon, near the source of the Se- 

 vern. It flows at first towards the south, with a trifling 

 inclination to the east ; and this direction it pursues 

 through the great plain of Herefordshire ; but as it ap- 

 proaches Monmouth, its course is south and south-west. 

 It falls into the mouth of the Severn near Chepstow. 

 '' The romantic beauties of the Wye, which flows in a 

 deep bed, between lofty rocks, clothed with hanging 

 woods, and here and there crowned with ruined castles, 

 have employed the descriptive powers of the pen and 

 pencil, and" frequently engage the curiosity of travel- 

 lers." 



Avon is a name which no fewer than seven rivers in 

 England and Wales bear ; but of these, only the Upper 

 and Lower Avon, and the Avon of Wiltshire and Hamp- 

 shire, call for our notice. Our 'account of the last we 

 shall defer till we come to the rivers on the south coast 

 of England. The Upper Avon rises on the borders of 

 Leicestershire and Warwickshire, and, bringing a large 

 influx of water past the castle and town of Warwick, 

 it afterwards flows through a fine country to Stratford 

 on Avon. From this place, it traverses the great level 

 of Worcestershire, by Evesham, and, bending to the 

 south, falls into the Severn near Tewksbury. The 

 Lower Avon has its source near Wotton Basset, in 

 the hilly district of Xorth Wiltshire, bordering on the 

 county of Gloucester. From these hills it flows with a 

 winding course into the vale that leads to Chippenham ; 

 hence its windings are still greater and more numerous, 

 the country through which it pa*cs- being very hilly. 

 It next enters the clothing district of Wiltshire, and 

 for a short space divides that county from Somerset- 

 shire. It* course is next to the south, and afterwards 

 it takes a long compass by the west and the north. 

 The city of Bath is now nearly encircled by its waters. 

 From this place, with frequent meanderings, it descends 

 to Bristol, whence it falls into the Bristol Channel at 

 King's Road. The country through which the Lower 

 Avon flows, is in general rich and picturesque ; but its 

 waters are frequently discoloured, after heavy rains, 

 by the chalky soil of Wiltshire, and the ochry soil of 

 Somersetshire. 



The Tamar, one of the most considerable rivers in 

 the west of England, rises in a moor near Marving- 

 tow, the most northern part of the county of Corn- 

 wall : It pursues nearly a southerly course, by Tamer- 

 ton, to the vicinity of Launceston ; at a small distance 

 from which, its current is increased by the small river 

 Ottery. After their junction, it inclines to the east, 

 till it unites with the Lyd and the Tavy. It now re- 

 sumes its south direction, and, uniting with Lynher- 

 creek, and continually increasing in importance as it 

 winds along, it fonns, between Plymouth Dock and 

 Saltawh, the spacious bason called Hamoaze, or Ply- 

 mouth Harbour, which has been already described. 

 Its course, though short, is in many parts very stri- 

 king; about Launceston, its banks are finely fringed 

 with wood ; while lower down it receives the character 

 of grandeur, from the numerous large vessels with 

 which its broad curving branches are crowded. 



None of the rivers in the south of England -so 



V"L. VIII. PART II. 



strongly resemble the bold character of the rivers of 

 the north of England and of Scotland, as the Dart. It 

 rises in the mountainous district of Dartmoor, ;uul first 

 descends southward, and then inclines considerably to 

 the east before it leaves that part of the country. "Af- 

 terwards its winding course is to the south-east, as it 

 passes Totness, and falls into the sea between Dart- 

 mouth and Kingsweare. It is particularly distinguish- 

 ed for its rapidity ; and this character it retains even 

 after it leaves those mountains which inclose its source. 

 When it descends into the rich plains of the southern 

 part of Devonshire, its character is changed ; and a 

 little to the west of Ashburnham, it forms a charming 

 valley, through which it flows in a placid stream. At 

 Totness it is joined by the tide, when its character 

 again changes ; now exhibiting, in a striking union, its 

 original boldness and its subsequent beauty, rolling, in 

 a majestic stream, between hills covered with vegeta- 

 tion, woods, and villages, disclosing new beauties at 

 every curve, and presenting a grand object to the ad- 

 jacent country, varied perpetually both in its form and 

 attendant features. Nearer its mouth, the hills that in- 

 close its channel become more lofty, while the river, 

 winding between their wooded and rocky bases, passes 

 the hamlet of Kingsweare on its eastern, and the irre- 

 gular town of Dartmouth on its western bank. 



The Exe calls for our notice, more on account of its 

 beauties, than on account of the length of its course, or 

 its importance. It rises in the hills of Exmoor, and at 

 first inclines to the south-east ; but afterwards entering 

 a deep valley, it flows southward, with a little bending 

 to the west, to Exeter. From this city, its course is 

 rather to the east of the South, as it fo'rms a grand es- 

 tuary to Exmouth, where it meets the sea. The most 

 striking circumstance attending the course of this river, 

 is the sudden change of character which it undergoes, 

 from a furious torrent to a placid rivulet, as it descends 

 from its mountainous origin into verdant meadows. 

 This striking change of feature takes place, when it 

 forces itself a passage through the wild hills near 

 Minehead, into a valley, whose sides arc richly clothor! 

 with wood ; but the valley through which it Hoes does 

 not become expanded till the Exe is joined by the Culm. 

 From their junction, it flows through a diatricC of un- 

 common richness and beaut}-. 



None of the rivers of Dorsetshire present any cir- 

 cumstance which calls for notice : their course is not 

 long, nor is the country through which they flow dis- 

 tinguished either for much beauty or fertility. We 

 shall, therefore, pass on to the consideration of the 

 Hampshire and VViltshire Avon. This river springs 

 from three sources ; one near Marlborough, and the 

 two others between Marlborough and the Devizes, Af- 

 ter these branches unite, the Avon flows to the South, 

 forming a valley between Marlborough Downs and Sa- 

 lisbury plain. It passes by Amesbujy, and under Old 

 Sarum, to Salisbury. On one side of this city it is 

 joined by the Willey, and on the other by the Bourne. 

 After this junction, the Avon continues to flow in a 

 southward direction, through a part of the New Forest, 

 by Ringwood, till the Stour meets it at Christ Church, 

 when it falls into the English Channel. By the aid of 

 the tide, large ships go up to Clirist Church ; and a 

 few miles above this place the navigation by locks com- 

 mences, which continues to the vicinity of Salisbury. 

 From this description of its course, it will be seen, that 

 the country through which it flows is generally desti- 

 tute of beauty, and not remarkable for its fertility ; \m< 



46 



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