80 



of rival songsters, is one of the most delightful 

 pleasures which a mind imbued with a love of 

 external nature can feel. The melancholy 

 cooing of the wild pigeon, the murmurings of 

 the stream breaking over some rugged part of 

 its bed, and the shrill shriek of the jay, fall at 

 once upon the ear, and fill the mind with a sort 

 of tender and solitary cheerfulness. 



Near to the place called Dove-cot Mill, the 

 view upon the banks of the stream is very inter- 

 esting. A few hundred yards above this spot 

 there are some fine rushing streams full of trout ; 

 and when we turn to the left, we find the scenery 

 open upon us in commanding beauty. The 

 river itself becomes a very striking object of 

 admiration. You no longer see its continuous 

 course as before, over a broader bed, amid frag- 

 ments of rock, all too much alike ; but you see 

 the river partially : here, in most beautiful and 

 varied falls ; there, in deep pools, edged with 

 moving white lines ; and beyond, the whole bed 

 is intersected with the richest foliage of large 

 trees, meeting, as it were, from bank to bank, 

 through whose branches here and there a bright 

 streak indicates the course of the water. When 

 you take your stand upon a rising piece of 

 ground, and look at the rushing streams in suc- 

 cession, the effect is magical; and we can no 



