$08 Letters of a Wanderer through England and Wales. [Nov. 1, 
") ry 
to increase the general beau 
seene. Ye 
Crossing the river, by a boat kept for 
the purpose of conveying visitors to the 
opposite shore, a little way above the 
town, we ascended by a winding path, 
and gained the summit of the height we 
Jaboured to attain: we stood upon a 
high projecting point of rock, some hun- 
dred yards above the level of the stream, 
. and looked upon the vale in all its glory, 
diversified by wocds of various hues and 
species ; the windings of the Derwent, 
the ereyish-coloured rocks, and whitened 
houses embosomed amidst groves of 
trees, which, sprouting from every crevice 
in the precipices, give variety and anima- 
tion to a scene of wonderful beauty. 
Proceeding along the edge of the 
woody height, the views continually 
varied as we advanced. Beneath our 
feet, a steep and thickly-wooded bank 
stretched close along the margin of the 
stream, while the opposite shore rose 
boldly from the water, and appeared 
almost wholly covered over with roman- 
tic human habitations, huge masses of 
impending rocks, and a bare and lofty 
hill broken by craggy precipices, and 
forming a charming contrast to the softer 
features of the landscape. 
Advancing still a little farther onward, 
the eye takes in a reach of the river, 
smooth and onrufiled, “and overhung 
by dark and thickly-spreading wood, 
some whitened houses at a little distance 
from the baths, with a rich variety of 
pointed rocks, tufted with trees, and 
adding to the beauty of a view at once 
interesting and romantic as imagination 
can conceive. From thence a path leads 
to the bottom of the hill, by which the 
views are reversed; and every object seen 
in a different point, forms new and in- 
teresting pictures of peculiar loveliness 
and diversity. 
Till evening closed, and hid the charm- 
ing landscape from our sight, we conti- 
nued to wander round the environs of 
Matlsck; and it was with reluctance we 
retired to our auberge, where we had an 
excellent supper, and good keds. The 
‘day had been delightfuily fine, and we 
were all charmed with our ramble, and 
eager for the ensuing morn to extend it 
still further, to the elegant seat ef Sir 
Richard Arkwright, at Cromfit, atout 
two miles on the other side of Matlock. 
We accordingly prepared at an early 
hour, to put our former evening's plan in 
execucion; and having again taken a par- 
tial survey of the more immediate beau- 
r 
ties of the vale of Matlock, we proceeded 
onward, and shortly came in view of the 
spacious mansion of Sir Richard, and the 
numerous dwellings of the persons he 
employs daily, to the number of several 
hund?eds, in his extensive cotton manus , 
factories. This is indeed a different 
scene from the calm sequestered envi- 
rons of Matlock; but it is by no means 
an unpleasing one; for industry and 
neatness are combined to give an air of 
comfort and animation to the whole sur- 
rounding district; and cold and unfeel- 
ing must be the heart which does not 
experience gratification at the sight of 
‘¢ happy human faces,” or know a senti- 
ment of delight at hearing the sounds of 
merriment and cheerfulness amongst the 
poorest of their fellow mortals, 
Of the interior of Cromfit House I 
~eannot give you a description, for we did 
not ask to view its apartments. We were 
assured it was elegant, and laid out for 
the convenience of the owner’s family 
and guests; but, as by far the greater — 
number of the houses of the affluent 
beaf'a striking similarity to each other, 
it is fttle worth while to explore the inte- 
vior of each, or seek to fatigue others by 
descriptions of what can tend but 
slightly to the gratification of curiosity, 
hor In any manner interest the admirers 
of Nature's unadorned scenery. 
The grounds we however sought and 
obtained permission to walk over, and 
were amply repaid for our trouble, by the 
view of a part of the sweet vale of Mat- 
lock, and an extensive tract of the adja- 
cent country. The walks are tastefully 
formed; and, though not extensive, are 
extremely pretty, and deserving of a 
visit. 
From Cromfit we crossed the country 
to Ashburn, a sweetly situated, clean, 
pretty town, on the road between Derby 
and Buxton, and twenty miles from the 
latter. 
I had been there years before: but twa 
of my companions never having been in 
that part of the county, I made no objec- 
tions to extending our tour thither. As 
we arrived at an early hour in the even- 
ing, we had a long stroll ere supper was 
announced to be upon the table; and 
found much to admire in the various 
views upon the banks of the Dove, and 
in the vicinity of the town, where the 
country is beautifully diversified, fertile, 
and finely cultivated, and the air of neate 
ness so conspicuous even in the humblest 
of the habitations, peculiarly pleasing.’ 
The church is a tasteful structure, but 
unfinished. 
amy 
