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scription of it. It is situated about one hundred 

 and forty miles (N. W. by N.) from London. 

 Its distance from Derby is thirteen and a half 

 miles, (N. W. by W.) ; from Matlock, twelve 

 miles, (S. W.) ; from Leek, sixteen miles, 

 (S. E.); and from Bakewell, eighteen miles, 

 (S. W). The town being situated in a deep val- 

 ley, and surrounded nearly on all sides by hills, 

 is not visible until you arrive almost upon it. 

 The spire of its handsome church is, generally 

 speaking, that which first indicates to you your 

 approach to a town. We like such an indica- 

 tion it is, as it were, religion directing you to 

 the congregated habitations of man. We will 

 suppose the traveller coming from London via 

 Derby. The first glimpse he catches of Ash- 

 borne is from the top of the " new road," which 

 leads by a rapid descent into the southern part 

 of the town, called Compton. As soon as he 

 arrives on the summit alluded to, he sees, ra- 

 ther to the right, Ashborne-hall,* the hand- 

 some country residence of Sir Win. Boothby 

 Bart. Before him he sees, stretching right and 

 left, the town. On the extreme left he catches 

 a view a one-sided one of the church. In 

 the back-ground to the north is a range of hills, 

 studded with houses almost to their summits. 



* Vide vignette at the end of the 7th. chapter. 



