J&dfegfjam (ourt 17 



of these, modern dwellings, with parks and gardens, 

 farms and cottages, overspread the country. The 

 cheerful farm-house, with its lofty rookery, and wide 

 arable, or ploughed fields, with low fences or gray 

 stone walls, are prominent features in the southern 

 portion of the landscape ; as also well-timbered villages, 

 occasional heaths, and tufted woods, or rather groves. 

 At the end of summer, the strong colours of the yellow 

 wheat and glaring poppy are finely contrasted with the 

 dark hue of the woods ; that hue which becomes deeper 

 and more sombre, till the night-dews have done their 

 work, and the autumnal winds begin to blow, and the 

 dark green leaves are suddenly invested with a splendid 

 variety of tints, from bright yellow to the deepest orpi- 

 ment. 



On the verge of the old forest extend rural villages 

 and fertile meadows, high-aspiring elms, shallow brooks, 

 and wooden bridges, crowding cottages and green laijes, 

 with here and there a church-spire, or gray tower rising 

 among the trees. Gentle swells and hollows, where 

 sheep pasture on the green sward, are seen in another 

 portion of the landscape, with apple-orchards and small 

 enclosures; but along the banks of the Severn the 

 country assumes a different aspect. Its general charac- 

 teristics are breaks of lawn and thicket, with groves and 

 stunted pollards, all footed and entangled with briars 

 and creeping plants. 



A dilapidated court-house, overrun with ivy, and 



