214 Gilpin's tobest scenery. 



Soft breathes tlie breeze ; eternal summers reign, 



And showers prolific bless the soil — in vain ! 



No spicy nutmeg scents the vernal gales : 



No towering plaintain shades the mid-day vales : 



No grassy mantis hides the sable hills : 



No flowery cbaplet crowns the trickling rills : 



No step, retreating, on tiie sand impressed, 



Invites the visit of a second guest. 



Fierce in dread silence, on the blasted heath 



EeU Upas sits.' 



So long a period has now elapsed since the fabulous 

 story of the Upas valley was exploded that Gilpin's de- 

 scription and the half credence which he gives to the false 

 account of Foersch will probably cause many readers to 

 smile. But it must be remembered that Foersch's story 

 was published about the time that this ' Forest Scenery ' 

 was written. A sufiBcient apology for the credence given 

 by Gilpin to the romantic tale, and an indication, at the 

 same time^ of the hold which it has taken on the popular 

 fancy is furnished by the fact that^ even now, not a few 

 persons will be found amongst the cursory readers of 

 books, who have some dim idea that ' somewhere in Asia ' 

 there exists a blighted valley, where all living things — 

 animals and plants — have been poisoned by the effluvia 

 from the fearful Upas Tree. And many writers who well 

 know the truth of the matter still indulge, from time to 

 time, in imagery suggested by the fable of the poisonous 

 Upas valley. ' Of the dreadful and sudden/ or compara- 

 tively sudden, effect of the prepared juice of the poison 



