32 



the admiration and study of a Ruysdal or 

 a Gainsborough; and reduces it to such a 

 thing, as an Oilman in Thames-street may 

 at any time contract for by the yard at 

 Islington or Mile-End. 



I had lately an opportunity of observing 

 the progress of improvement in one lane, 

 and the effect of it in another, both unfor- 

 tunately bordering on gentlemen's pleasure 

 grounds. The first had on one side a high 

 bank full of the beauties I have described; 

 I was particularly struck with a beech 

 which stood single on one part of it, and 

 with the effect and character which its 

 spreading roots gave, both to the bank and 

 to the tree itself : the sheep also had made 

 their sidelong paths to this spot, and often 

 lay in the little compartments between the 

 roots. One day I found a great many 

 labourers wheeling mould to this place; by 

 degrees they filled up all inequalities, and 

 completely covered the roots and path- 

 ways; one would have supposed they were 

 working for my Uncle Toby, under the 



