14 THE FERN PARADISE. 



point of the cliff to the water's edge with one deep 

 dark mass of vegetation. But there is not even a 

 grand monotony in the lines of noble cliffs along 

 the coast of Devonshire. There is no monotony at 

 all, for the grand rocks sink at intervals, to give 

 place to magnificent bays, which sweep gracefully 

 from cliff's point to cliff's point, and help to fling 

 over the coast scenery of this, the most beautiful 

 of English counties, the same aspect of variety 

 which is its most charming characteristic. 



Those only who have explored the Devonshire 

 coast along the Bristol Channel on the north, and 

 along the English Channel on the south, and who 

 are also familiar with the interior of the county, 

 can properly realise the extreme magnificence of 

 its landscapes. But we believe that thousands of the 

 tourists who annually visit the western " Garden 

 of England" for Devonshire well deserves that 

 name whilst deeply impressed with the general 

 loveliness of the county, nevertheless find it diffi- 

 cult to explain what it is that lends the peculiar 

 character of softness and grace to the scenery. Here 

 is the secret. The whole county is richly and luxu- 



