The favor bestowed upon this lecture whenever it was de- 

 livered, and the frequently expressed desire for its publication 

 y i ha^ led me to have it printed in its present form. 



There now seems to be no longer a doubt of the preservation 

 of at least the greater part of the Fells. The passage of the Act 

 of June 1893, Chapter 407, and the appointment of Metropolitan 

 Park Commissioners favorable to the project renders this almost 

 certain. It is, however, much to be regretted that the Act should 

 have been so amended in the Senate as to prevent the wild ter- 

 ritory south of the great Turkey .Swamp reservter from being 

 taken by right of eminent domain, although it may still be pos- 

 sible to secure it by purchase, if not by gift. 



Now the greater part of that territory, if not the whole of it; 

 is so essentially a part of the great Fells that it will be a most 

 deplorable mistake, if indeed it be not a crime against posterity, 

 not to have it included in the reservation. 



MEDFORD DOES NOT NEED IT, SHE HAS AMPLE TERRITORY, 

 SUFFICIENT FOR ALL POSSIELE GROWTH, WITHOUT IT, AND CAN 

 SPARE IT JUST AS WELL AS NOT FOR SHE WOULD STILL HAVE 

 REMAINING A LARGER AREA OF AVAILABLE BUILDING LAND THAN 

 MALDEN NOW HAS. 



Every foot of territory north of the old Bower, running east- 

 ward to Pine Hill, and westward to the Winchester Heights, 

 embracing within its limits Meeting-house brook ravine with its 

 elevations and depressions, should go into the reservation. 



Nature herself has here fixed the boundary lines and they can- 

 not be changed without doing violence to her foresight. If now 

 after all these years of earnest endeavor to secure this magnifi- 

 cent reservation for the pleasure and happiness of future genera- 

 tions, so much of Medford's portion of it is to be left out it will be 

 an everlasting shame without any possible compensation. 



My thanks are due to Mr. Rosewell B. Lawrence, for the use 

 of his excellent map of the Fells. 



