Ittature IRotes : 
TIbe Sdbome Society’s (ll^aGasinc. 
No. 79. JULY, 1896. VoL. VII. 
THE UGLIFICATION OF ENGLAND. 
“ ‘ I never heard of Uglification,’ Alice ventured to say. ‘ What is it ? ’ 
“ The Gryphon lifted up both its paws in surprise. ‘ Never heard of uglifying ! ’ 
it exclaimed. ‘ You know what to beautify is, I suppose?’ 
“ ‘ Yes,’ said Alice doubtfully ; ‘it means — to— make— anything— prettier.’ 
“ ‘ Well, then,’ the Gryphon went on, ‘ if you don’t know what to uglify is, you 
are a simpleton.’ ” 
HE process of Uglification, above referred to, is being 
carried on throughout England by means of the District 
Councils and similar bodies, with a thoroughness and 
rapidity which has already produced manifest results. 
Yet, so far as we are aware, no Selbornian has raised a voice 
in protest against operations which, small in themselves, have 
sensibly diminished the beauty of the country. When a 
restricted spot like Hampstead Heath, or a place of public 
resort like Kew Gardens, is interfered with, a certain amount 
of protest may be depended upon, although it usually happens 
that such protests are too late to remedy the mischief, and the 
stable door is not closed until the steed has been abstracted. 
But here is a matter which affects the lovers of nature through- 
out the country, and it behoves every Selbornian to make himself 
acquainted with what is being done, and to do all in his power 
to prevent further mischief. 
Our own experience has indeed been confined to the home 
counties, but we have reason to believe that the cause for com- 
plaint is by no means limited to them. A brief account of what 
we have noticed will show the necessity for something being 
done — or rather for something being let alone, for that is what is 
wanted. 
We were spending Easter at Old Hall, a little village 
