588 Strutt’s Delicie Sylvarum. 
We beg pardon of our readers for having detained them 
so long in 1 the forest, and with (we fear) such dry and unpa- 
latable fare. We thought it not unimportant, however, to 
expose the fallacy of an opinion, which seems to be wide 
spread and deep rooted. People talk of the Forest of Arden, 
and, caught by the sound of the words, without the least 
enquiry, fake up with the belief, that in the olden time the 
lands had a legitimate right to that character which the name 
implies. Ovrws araraicrwpos toils modAdois % Cntyoss Tis aAnelas, 
xah emi Tad eToe maAACY TpEmovTas.* 
Quitting at length the intricacies of Arden, we now hasten 
to a conclusion, observing, as we pass, that each subject of 
the Delicie Sylvarum is accompanied by a small portion of 
descriptive letter-press, interspersed and enlivened with appro- 
priate quotations, both poetical and prose. ‘The account, by 
John Taylor the water-poet, of the extensive and magnificent 
huntings, which formerly took place in the Forest of Brae-mar, 
is highly curious and interesting. Did our limits permit, we 
would gladly extract the passage; but, having already tres- 
passed on the patience of our readers, we refer them to Mr. 
Strutt’s own pages, and shall content ourselves with observing 
generally, that the descriptive part of the work before us, 
brief as it is, is in unison with the pictorial, and just what 
might be expected from a man of Mr. Strutt’s known taste 
and acquirements. In one instance, however, our author com- 
mits a strange blunder: at the end of his introduction he 
employs the word * accorded” instead of what, we feel assured, 
he meant to have written, “ awarded :” a mere lapsus this, 
inadvertently made in an unguarded moment, which we notice 
chiefly with a view to convince our readers, that, however lavish 
we may appear to have been in our praises of Mr. Strutt and 
his performances (and we certainly do think very highly of 
them), we are ready at the same time fairly and fearlessly to 
point out any the most minute blemishes we can detect in the 
execution of his work. We now take our leave of Mr. Strutt, 
heartily wishing that he may meet with that liberal support 
and encouragement from the public, which in our conscience 
we think he so well deserves. To every lover of forest 
scenery, to every admirer of pure and spirited etchings, we 
confidently recommend the Delici@ Sylvdrum, venturing to 
predict that the work will be handed down to posterity, and 
remain xr7y.a é¢ ait long after the charming scenes it por- 
me shall have mouldered into decay. 
“ So impatient of labour are the most men in search of truth, and em- 
ee soonest the things that are next to hand.” — Thucydides, b. i. (Hobbes. ) 
+ “ For an everlasting possession.” 
