PROSPECT. 243 



my other avocation had first given rise. 

 There was no novelty to charm me, every- 

 thing seemed as dull and dreary as the 

 road I travelled on through the Fens, and 

 the prospect so evident to my visual 

 organ painfully and constantly presented 

 to my mental vision a similar and as 

 gloomy a picture. 



Nevertheless, I was now and then cheered 

 with the company of my excellent friend 

 from Marham, and was sometimes amused 

 by the various and naive observations of 

 some of my fellow-travellers, not excluding 

 the female part, as to my future, in which 

 many of them, I believe, felt a sincere 

 interest ; although one from the neighbour- 

 hood of Downham, a Baronet, I remember, 

 whose intellect was as lofty as his heart was 

 noble, and who was altogether, and always 

 had been, an exception to his neighbours in 

 his urbanity, told me one day on the box, 

 by way of consolation, " that I could ring the 

 bell for the starting of the train." A visit, 



B2 



