120 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



and monotonous road, with dull and unmeaning prospects, 

 seems, during the walk, almost an age. But when we think 

 upon it the next day, after our weariness is over, the time 

 consumed in the walk seems very short, because we can re- 

 member only a few objects and incidents in connection with 

 it. On the other hand, if we walk the same distance over a 

 winding road, pleasantly diversified, and constantly opening 

 into new and beautiful scenes and landscapes, the time, while 

 thus occupied, seems to pass very rapidly. But after the 

 journey is ended, and we review the scenes and objects we 

 beheld, the time seems long in the retrospect, in proportion 

 to the number of scenes that pass before the memory, and 

 the distance seems greater than the same length of straight 

 and level road. 



In my early days, when I was at school about eighteen 

 miles from home, it was my habit, with two of my school- 

 fellows, to return home on foot at the end of our terms. I 

 shall never forget the different feelings with which we walked 

 over the successive stages of this journey. The greater part 

 of the route was an agreeable mixture of wood and open 

 landscape, interspersed with farms and farm houses ; and con- 

 ducted us nearly all the way through a thinly inhabited por- 

 tion of the country. There was one part of the road that, 

 for the space of about four miles, led us in a direct course, 

 except that we were constantly rising and descending the 

 hills over which it passed. This would have been a pleasant 

 diversion, provided at every ascent we had gained the sight 

 of some new object, that assured us of our progress. On the 

 contrary, in ever tiresome repetition, whenever we arrived 

 at the summit of each succeeding elevation, we always saw 

 before us, apparently no nearer than it was a mile back, the 

 steeple of the Middleton Meeting-house. This was more 

 trying to our patience than a straight and level road, because 

 we were constantly hoping, when we were down in the val- 

 leys, that on gaining the next ascent, we should see some 

 pleasant change in the prospect, or something to assure us 

 that we were gaining ground, and we were as constantly dis- 

 appointed. 



