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goodly green, and pleafant woods in a foreft, 

 is no lefs pleafant and delightful in the eye 

 of a prince, than the view of the wild beafts 

 of chace ; and therefore the grace of a foreft 

 is to be decked and trimmed up with ftore 



of pleafant green coverts*." One fhould 



fcarce have expelled fuch a paflage as this 

 in a law-book. On fuch authority however, 

 I hope, I may confider the fcenery of the foreft 

 as effential to the very exiftence of it ; and 

 fhall proceed with more confidence, in the 

 defcription of thofe goodly green y and pleafant 

 woods, the fight and beholding whereof is fo 

 comely and delightful. 



In this detail I fliall rarely go in queft of 

 views into the intricacies, and recefles of the 

 foreft. Thefe fweet retreats would often fur- 

 nifh a great variety of pleafing fcenes -, but 

 it would be difficult to afcertain, and point 

 them out to the obfervation of others. I Ihall 

 fatisfy myfelf therefore with following the 

 great roads, or, at leaft, fuch as are commonly 

 known, where views may eafily be afcertained; 

 referving only the liberty of ftepping a little 

 afide, when any thing of peculiar excellence 



* Mciiwood, chap. vi. 



deferves 



