MR. URBAN AND A CO UNTR Y HO USE. 28 1 



The view to the northeast (in the direction of the 

 dotted line J"), at the time of taking possession, looked 

 over a foul marsh lying upon the opposite side of the 

 high-road ; this marsh received the drainage of all 



the elevated ground to the north and west, and its 

 excess of water leaked away by an indecisive and 

 intermittent flow through the pasture land marked 

 P. Under the old regime as will be seen by recur- 

 rence to the drawing of the farm at time of purchase 

 this pasture served as " meadow," and produced 

 its annual quota of bog hay. Beyond the marsh and 

 the highlands which skirted it to the northeast, was 

 an extremely pretty view of a range of low moun- 

 tains, some two miles distant, in the lee of which were 

 to be seen a spire and one or two tall chimneys. 

 But the unkempt, slatternly marsh-land in the fore- 

 ground ruined the scene. It might be planted out 

 indeed ; but an effective planting out would interfere 



