1 88 Simpson C lough. 



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of the population makes of it one vast urbs in rure. 

 Towns, villages, houses, factories, print-works, dye-works, 

 chimneys with their black pennons, innumerable, these 

 constitute a part of nearly every Lancashire scene ; and, 

 as must inevitably happen, the roads become blackened, 

 and the streams of water discoloured, while, where the 

 people stand thick together, every glen, and grove, and 

 clough shows the tracks of the boy-Philistines that here 

 abound. Begrudge them not their hips and haws, 

 there is plenty of room for all ; but do not expect to find 

 in manufacturing Lancashire a picturesque locality that 

 is free from foot-marks. 



The first place of note upon this line is the cluster of 

 glens and dells reached either from Heywood or Roch- 

 dale, and the entrance to which is well known thereabouts 

 as Simpson Clough. The dells are disposed in the form 

 of a V, the upper extremities again forked and feathering 

 away till they merge into fields, while down every dell 

 comes a stream, rushing over large stones, the whole even- 

 tually united at the angle of the V, and soon afterwards 

 swelling the river Roch, which carries the water into the 

 Irwell, not far from Radcliffe. There are many modes 

 of making acquaintance with this famous place, which is 

 the more interesting from the circumstance of its having 

 been one of the favourite resorts of that fine old band of 

 botanical patriarchs, Crowther, Hobson, Horsfield, and 

 Crozier. Going from Heywood, (a rather tedious preli- 

 minary, but not easily superseded by a better,) we make 



