THE BEECH. 75 



of Arthur with his knights ; of William the Norman ; 

 of the third Edward ; of his peerless son, the Black 

 Prince ; of his illustrious captive, John of France ; 

 and of characters blazoned in the page of later his- 

 tories, that have rested beneath their shade. Nor 

 can these noble forest scenes fail to be still more 

 pleasing, to those who recreate themselves among 

 them in the present day, from the consideration that 

 they give added beauty and variety to an abode fitly 

 chosen for the favoured residence of royalty ; and to 

 which, the elegant description by Camden will be 

 found to apply as aptly at the present moment, as 

 when it was first written : 



" From a high hill," says he, " which riseth with 

 a gentle ascent, it overlooketh a vale lying out far 

 and wide, garnished with corn fields, flourishing 

 with meadows, decked with groves on either side, 

 and watered with the most mild and calm river 

 Thames. Behind it arise hills every where, neither 

 rough nor over-high ; attired with woods ; and even 

 dedicated, as it were, by nature, to hunting and 

 game." DELICI^E SYLVARUM, p. 2. 



To this beautiful assemblage of natural images, set 

 forth in the truth of prose, not even the poetical 

 numbers of Pope can give additional attraction. 



" Here waving groves a chequer'd scene display, 

 And part admit, and part exclude the day : 

 There interspersed in lawns and opening glades 

 Thin trees arise that shun each other's shades. 



