4 T H E COUNT Y. i. 



Surrey and Kent and the Downs of SnfTex, 

 may vie wi:h it in extent, but not in generj^l 

 fertilitv. If we edimate the Vale of York 

 by the number and co[>ioufnefs of its rivers, 

 and by the richnefs of its marginal banks, it 

 would perhrips be dillicult, in any country, 

 to equal it *. 



* I nm not fingnlar in my opinion of this paflag^e 

 c: ctintry. \'r. Gilpin, in h.s Obfervations on the 

 Mcur.t.iins and Lalccs of Ciimberland and Wciimorc- 

 1:ind, and on fcvcral other parts of England, fpeaking 

 of a vie\V from Hackfall near Rippon ; a view which 

 cvci locks the uppei- part of this Vale; fpeaks of it as 

 ioliow? : 



" It is a circumnance of nieat advniita:^c when you 

 are canied to this ?,rai-d exhibition (as vou aUva' s 

 iuould be) through, ti>e clofc lanes of the Rippon road. 

 Yon have rot the lead: intiiiiation of a d.Ugn upon you, 

 nor ai-y fiif^gcuion that you are on high grounds ; till 

 tl-.c folding-dciors of the building at Mowbray Point 

 be.ng thrown open, you are liruck v\iEh one of the 

 gr.nJ.tuand moll bcautllul l-urils cf;:ountry that the 

 jn-jagiriation can form. 



" Your cyt is firlt carried many fathoms precipi- 

 tately down a bold wi ody fuep to the river Ewer, 

 which forms a large femiLircuiar curve below ; wind- 

 i:!g ro the very fo';t(»f the p!cci/ice on whiih y;)u ftand. 

 "I'hr trers of the piccipcf ovtihang the central part 

 of the curve. 



*' In other parts, too, the river is ii"iicrccptcd by 

 V.O. ds J bi.t enough of it is tiillovcred to leave the lye 



at 



