xvi Wedgwood's Journey into Cornwall 183 



was to be met with. No more agreeable journey could 

 have been made. Such tours are out of date now. We 

 rush rapidly through the country. The railway train 

 passes through tunnels, deep cuttings, and the pass- 

 enger sees little of the adjoining landscape. Wedg- 

 wood and his party left London on the 29th May 1775. 

 Their journey was through a beautiful country, and they 

 made their observations as they passed along. They 

 went through Guildford to Farnham; then into a 

 richly cultivated country, through Blackwater village, 

 over heaths and through woods, with charming resi- 

 dences in sight. 



" It is impossible," says Wedgwood in his notes, 

 " to pass through those finely varied scenes, and com- 

 fortable haunts of men, without wishing to spend more 

 time amongst them than these hurrying chaises will 

 permit. . . . The fine picture is like a panorama ; it is 

 all round us woods of every character, lawns, chases, 

 farms, and hop-gardens." The towns and villages 

 passed through were Hartley Bridge and Hartley Eow 

 (a venerable -looking village) ; Morrel Green, where 

 there was a good inn, and they rested; Newnham, 

 where a view was taken opposite the church ; then to 

 Basingstoke, celebrated for its siege during the Civil 

 Wars ; the Downs then opened upon the travellers 

 " a noble feast " ; they passed Stockbridge and Old 

 Sarum, and slept at Salisbury. 



In passing through Wiltshire, Wedgwood was sur- 

 prised by the numerous remains of the dwellings, en- 



