THE FERN PARADISE. 
are seen the wild moorlands stretching away far 
over the country. There the lovely Dart takes 
its rise, expanding its tiny stream as it moves 
onward, until, swollen to a torrent, it roars 
through deep ravines, foams over rocks and boul- 
ders, and still coming on ! on ! by wood-crowned 
heights and smiling upland meadows, it rolls into 
sight. Everywhere too, as far as the eye can 
reach, there is a thick network of green lanes, 
giving a marvellous aspect of diversity to the 
whole scene. 
Two or three steps from the brow of the hill 
whence this noble prospect is obtained, a turning 
round to the right will lead back to the town, 
through a lane which is indeed a veritable para- 
dise of Ferns. The narrow pathway winds down- 
wards for a full mile between two tall hedges, 
whose topmost branches here and there meet 
overhead, forming a natural archway, so densely 
interwoven in some places as almost to exclude 
the daylight ; now widening sufficiently to form 
a delightful green vista, now narrowing until the 
hedges on each side almost meet, and there is 
only sufficient room for the tourist to brush 
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