THE 
MONTHLY. 
MAGAZINE. 


No. xxxv1. ] 

For SEPTEMBER, 1798. 

ly Ol. VI. 




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ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
For the Monthly Magaxine. 
T is a fufficiently trite remark, that 
objecis of admiration and curio- 
fity near-at hand are commonly neglected 
for thofe at a diftance ; and that even their 
exiftenae is often unknown to thofe who 
might become fpectators of them any day 
of their lives I was never more|f{truck 
with the truth of this obfervation, taan on 
‘a late refidence for fome weeks at Dork- 
ing, in Surrey, the vicinity of which 
place affords fcenes not only of {uch un- 
common beauty, but of fo romantica caft, 
as few would expeét to mect with fo near 
the metropolis. I fhould prebably have 
made ufe of the term pzéfurefque to cha- 
racterife the general fcenery of this dif- 
trict, had I not been fully convinced by 
the ingenious Mr. Gilpin, that this word 
lofes all true meaning the inftant we de- 
viate from its etymological definition, that 
of “ fitne(s for pictured reprefentation.”’ 
Now, being mylelt,but a very inadequate 
judge of this point ; and, moreover, con- 
fidering it as a manifeft degradation of 
natural beauty and fublimity to fubmit 
their merit to the teft of the capacity of 
art to copy them, I fhall rather oblite- 
rate from my detfcriptive vocabulary an 
epithet, however fafhionable, than employ 
it without difting&t ideas 
The tra&t, of which I mean to attempt 
a flight fketch, may be reckoned to com- 
mence at the pleafant villoge of Leather- 
head, whence a narrow valley extends 
fouthwards, forming the bed of the fmail 
river Mole, in its courfe from the foot of 
Box-hill. The weftern fide of this valb y 
is compofed of a chain of heights, the 
principal part of which.is comprehended 
in the precincts of Norbury-park. To 
_ them fucceed the hills of Ranmer and Den- 
beighs, which lak bends round to join 
the long ridge running tewards Guilford. 
The eattern fide of this valley is formed 
by the rifing- grounds of Leatherhead and 
Miucklehanit. Downs, and finally by Box- 
hill, which, like its opnofite Denbeighs, 
MONTHLY MAG. NC. XXXVI. 
+ <= ‘eye 
{weeps round to form the ridge running 
on to Ryegate, and thence quite inte 
Kent. Thus, the vale of Leatherhead, 
after a courfeof about four miles, termi- 
mates perpendicularly in another vale, 
opening on each hand from the town of 
Dorking, and extending many miles in an 
eaftern and weftern direction. The river 
Mole, entering Leatherhead-vale from 
the foot of Box-hill, and meandering 
through it from fide to fide, beftows on it 
a beautiful verdure and rich vegetations 
though from its narrowneis and fcanty 
fupply of water, it contributes little to 
the Jandicape. 
Many are theclegant feats and pleafant 
farms and cottages which decorate this 
delightful vale; but its two capital ob- 
jects are Norbury-park on the one hand, 
and Box-billon the other. Norbury-park 
is well known as the domain ot Mr. 
Locxz, a gentleman highly celebrated 
for the elegance and correétnefs of his 
tafte. It is fortunate that a tract fo fa- 
voured by nature fhould have fallea to 
the lot of a mafter capable of giving it 
all the advantages of art, in a ftyle per 
fe&ly correfpondent with its natural cha- 
racter. The grounds of Norbury confit 
of rich meadows bordering on the Mole, 
and abruptly terminating’ in the fteep 
green fides of a range of irregular emi- 
nences, of confiderable height, and unit- 
ing into a common level at the top. 
Chalk hills, of which kind are thofe in 
queftion, have commonly a grotefque fin- 
gularity in their outline. They give the 
idea of having been formed by vat mafles 
of liquid mortar, poured along over a 
plain, and at once fetting into folidity. 
Hence, with a general rotundity of fhape, 
the edges are compofed-of unequal pro- 
minences, prfhing into or retiring from 
the fubjacent lew grounds, and feparated 
from each other by deep narrow ravines. 
Such is the furface nature has given to 
Norbury park. Art has contributed the, 
drefs and decoration by means of plant- 
xX ing 
