2 MORNING WALK. 
the earliest hours at which the gate is open- 
ed, not only to enjoy the morning air, and a 
thousand beauties of the morning landscape, 
but also because, at that season, the animals 
are seen to the best advantage ; for their se- 
veral domiciles are then less thronged by 
company, and they are themselves more live- 
ly, refreshed as they have been by sleep, re- 
lieved from the fatigues inflicted upon them 
by gazers, and cheered by the lightness and 
the brightness of the atmosphere. Our gentle 
party, too, were in their best spirits at that 
time of the day. The chimneys of the great 
metropolis had scarcely begun to smoke; the 
sun-beams were reflected by the slopes and 
foliage of the Park, and were gilding its 
young clumps and groves; the native birds 
were singing to them as they went, and the 
cattle lowing in the surrounding pastures ; 
and a few persons, of gentility and distinc- - 
tion, wise like themselves, were enjoying, in 
the outer circle, upon the northern side of 
which the Garden is seated, the soft and 
gay indulgence of a morning ride or walk. 
Mrs. Aston made it a duty to encourage 
the early rising of her children; and Jane, 
