132 KURAL ECONOMY OF ENGLAND. 



everything there has an air of wealth, luxury, and power. 

 Once beyond the barren ridge which separates you from 

 the country of York, and arrived at the neighbouring 

 town, everything changes. Nothing but blazing fur- 

 naces, hammers, and anvils, chimneys vomiting thick 

 smoke, a population of blacksmiths moving about like 

 spectres amidst flames : one may compare it to the infer- 

 nal regions at the gate of paradise. 



The Duke of Devonshire's mansion is a specimen, on a 

 large scale, of all the residences of country gentlemen in 

 England. Every proprietor of any consideration has his 

 park ; the park the forest, on a small scale is the sign 

 of feudal possession, the necessary appendage to the man- 

 sion. The number of parks in England is enormous, vary- 

 ing in size from many thousand to only a few acres. The 

 largest, the oldest, those which alone deserve the name 

 of parks, are laid down on all the maps. Within the 

 bounds of the park, even those of the most modest pre- 

 tensions, game of all kinds is preserved, and cattle grazed. 

 The proprietor enjoys quite a pastoral scene from his own 

 windows, and can take rides along his own avenues, or 

 enjoy his shooting at a few paces from his own door. 

 Here he lives in the bosom of his family, far from the 

 tumult of life, imitating the life of the nobleman, as the 

 farmer does that of the independent gentleman. 



The passion of the English for country sports is weU 

 known. Those country gentlemen who cannot afford to 

 have a pack of hounds of their own, unite to keep one by 

 subscription. The hunting-days are advertised before- 

 hand in the newspapers, and subscribers assemble on 

 horseback at the appointed place. At certain seasons, 

 fashion attracts thousands of these red-coated hunters to 

 particular parts of England or Scotland to enjoy this 

 sport, which involves actual danger. Sometimes it is the 



