X SELBORNE. 



To the left of the Hanger, there is the contour of the naked 

 part of Selborne Hill. A road winds round the extremity of 

 this ; and there are various foot-paths and zig-zags, even on the- 

 steepest parts, some of which are inclined at an angle of fifty 

 or even forty-five degrees from the horizon, and yet it is not long 

 since an adventurous horseman dashed down at full speed without 

 sustaining the slightest injury. 



The two or three trees which appear against the sky are a few 

 stragglers of the high wood, the trees upon which are scattered 

 and stunted compared with those on the Hanger ; but the place 

 affords sweet though not rich pasturage ; and the villagers have a 

 cricket-ground on the summit, in one of the finest situations im- 

 aginable for that hearty and healthy rural exercise. Nore Hill ap- 

 pears to one's left, and with it the sketch terminates. There is 

 not a deep and abrupt valley between this and Selborne Hill, but 

 rather a sort of saddle, though the evening light, throwing a 

 shadow upon Selborne Hill and a light immediately behind it, 

 produces the same effect as if the one hill actually cut upon the 

 other. Nore Hill is fine in its outline ; and there is something 

 particularly natural in the wood upon it. That wood fades off 

 into small bushes toward the upper common, and also in great 

 part along the lower margin ; while the trees become larger, are 

 closer together, and have a bolder outline upon the abrupt slope 

 of the hill eastwards. 



Such are the principal localities of Selborne as at first seen 

 from the Alton foot-path ; and, though there are many places not 

 visible which are in themselves highly beautiful, yet this is per- 

 haps the best of any as a general sketch upon which, as a tablet 

 of artificial memory, to fix the details of what still remains, as well 

 as to bring the others more clearly to the mind of the reader, or 

 guide the visitor in surveying to the greatest advantage this 

 classic ground of British natural history. 



This view does not continue long ; for, though Selborne appears 

 to lie in a valley, it does not do so in fact, for it is rather on an ele- 

 vation. The grounds sloping down from the Hanger are, toward 

 the north at least, lower than that upon which the principal part 

 of the town stands, and the church and vicarage stand on the 

 brow of a steep acclivity, bearing some resemblance in elevation 

 and in form to a mud-fort of the largest dimensions. After 

 crossing the deep lane to Alton, the descent is rapid, so that the 

 back-ground soon becomes concealed ; and, were it not for Sel- 



