OF SELBORNE. 
163 
iThough I have now travelled the Sujfex-downs upwards of 
thirty years, yet I ftill inveftigate that chain of majeftic mountains 
with frefli admiration year by year ; and think I fee new beauties 
every time I traverfe it. This range, which runs from Chichejler 
eaftward as far as Eqft-Bourn, is about fixty miles in length, and 
is called ne South Dozvns, properly fpeaking, only round Lewes. 
As you pafs along you command a noble view of the wild, 01 
weald, on one hand, and the broad downs and fea on the other. 
Mr. Ray ufed to vifit a family^ juft at the foot of thefe hills, and 
was fo ravifhed with the profped from Plumpton-plain, near Lewes, 
that he mentions thofe fcapes in his Wifdom of God in the 
Works of the Creation" with the utmoft fatisfadtion, and thinks 
them equal to any thing he had feen in the fineft parts of Europe. 
For my own part, I think there is fomewhat pecuUarly fweet and 
amufmg in the fliapely figured afpedl of chalk-hills in preference to 
thofe of ftone, which are rugged, broken, abrupt, and fliapelefs. 
Perhaps I may be Angular in my opinion, and not fo happy as 
to convey to you the fame idea; but I never contemplate thefe 
mountains without thinking I perceive fomewhat analogous to 
growth in their gentle fwellings and fmooth fungus-like protuber- 
ances, their fluted fides, and regular hollows and flopes, that 
carry at once the air of vegetative dilation and expanfion 
Or was there ever a time when thefe immenfe mafles of 
calcarious matter were thrown into fermentation by fome adventi- 
tious moifture ; were raifed and leavened into fuch fliapes by fome 
plaftic power ; and fo made to fwell and heave their broad backs 
into the fky fa much above the lefs animated clay of the wild 
below ? 
^ Mr. Courtbope of Danny. 
Y 2 
By 
