388 ON THE BOTANY OF ~ " [April, 



its church, mill, farm-houses, and cottages. These are the proxi- 

 mate views. The Walton Hills, as already noticed, lie on the 

 other side of this i^arrow vale, and almost exactly parallel to 

 the Clent Hills. The spire of Hales Owen Church, the woods 

 of Dudley, always enveloped in a smoky cloud, the Leasowes, 

 or Shenstone, as it is called here, lie to the right of the 

 latter place. 



In a southern direction, when the weather is fine or when 

 the atmosphere is clear, are seen the Cotswold HiUs, at least 

 fifty miles distant, and on the observer's right, and nearly in 

 the same direction, lie the Malvern and the Aberley and Clee 

 Hills in succession. The tract of country, the broad vale of 

 the Severn, lying between the observer and the hills above 

 mentioned, is very clearly seen. But he wants the assistance 

 of some person acquainted with the situation of places to be 

 able to make out the towns of Evesham, Stourport, Droitwich, 

 Bromsgrove, Kidderminster, and Bewdley, which, with the city 

 of Worcester, are all situated between the hills on the right 

 bank of the Severn and that chain of hills on the left bank of 

 which the Clent Hills form a considerable part. The Walton 

 Hills aSbrd charming views on the north and north-west, viz. 

 of Belbroughton, Fairfield, etc., and especially of the beautiful 

 vale between the Waltons and Fairfield hanging woods, and 

 Fairfield Heath or Common. 



One of the most striking scenes is the furnaces, of which 

 there are many between and about Dudley, Stourbridge and 

 Kidderminster. In broad daylight these are, to the lovers of 

 Nature and of her productions, smoking nuisances. To the for- 

 tunate children of Mammon, and to the sons and daughters of 

 toil, they appear under another aspect. When murky shades 

 surround the hills, and darkness assumes the ascendant, these 

 furnaces flare up, enlightening the country for miles round, 

 tinging the clouds with their unnatural ruddy glare. 



This scene from the Walton Hills, in a fine, clear, moonlight 

 night (it is not comfortable nor very safe walking on the Waltons 

 in pitchy dark nights), is not without interest to a visitant or 

 stranger, and is, besides, suggestive of various reflections of a 

 mixed character, but these had better be retained than divulged. 

 Reflections of a mental or moral nature are apt to be tinged by 

 the medium through which they pass or from which they are 



