“sh 
1809.] 
within a reasonable compass. Tf an ad- 
ditionai toll be necessary, let it be laid ; 
for what reasonable person begrudges the 
payment of tollfor value received in ac- 
commodation. / Duvall’s-lane is a good 
road, but the buildings have been per- 
“mitted to be erected so nearit, as to 
render it probably too narrow for the 
main road. It would not be difficult, 
however, to branch out at the Holloway 
road, in a pretty direct line towards the 
top of Duvall’s-lane, and to preserve a 
suthcient breadth for the road, so that 
hereafter it should not be incommoded 
by buildings. By pursuing my plan, 
Sir, the weils at Highgate would not be 
drained of their water. Should any of 
the inhabitants on the present line of 
road complain, that their trade would be 
lessened by turning the road, I should 
Teply, ‘that the puolic advantage should 
outweigh that of individuals; for, with as 
much reason, might the inhabitants of 
Blackfriar’s-road and Bridge-street ob- 
ject to a bridge directly communicating 
with the Strand; or those, on one part of 
Westminster, object to that at Vauxhall; - 
as the inhabitants of Highyate complain . 
of a new and better road being made for 
the public, without the fatigue of climb- 
ing thei lofty and sandy hill. As I am 
now casting my eye over the roads near 
Holloway, I cannot refrain, Mr. Editor, 
from expressing my regret, that no more 
‘care has been taken to preserve tlie back 
road, by Islington workhouse, from being 
hemmed in by buildings; and I must also 
complain of an equal degree of neglect, 
on the part of the trust, in not continu- 
ing the back road in a straight line to 
the Holloway road, instead of being per- 
mitted to pass round a corner extremely 
dangerous in the night-time. 
To schemes of this nature, I am 
aware, the usual objections of labour and 
expence will be brought forward; but 
public objects should not be omitted on 
these grounds, It has often been sug- 
gested, that our public roads might be 
greatly benefited by the employment of 
our soldiery upon them, when their mui- 
itary daties would permit; and, indeed, 
I think such a measure would be pro- 
ductive of great benefits, both to the 
public and to the soldiery, if conducted 
under proper regularity, and the men 
paid a suitable compensation for their 
tune, ‘They would then be thankful, and 
_ willing to ‘work 3 and, by their exertions, 
alterations in our roads would be accom- 
plished with great dispatch, We-are 
Montuty Mag, No, 188, 
- Character and Parody of Shenstone’s Pastorals. 
33 
told, Sir, that these straight and excele 
lent lines of road, which are in various 
parts of the kingdom, were made by the 
Roman soldiery; and why should it be 
thought improper to employ the British 
soldiery in the same public works, and, 
especially, upon a plan that would con- 
tribute to their own comfort and advan- 
tage? If aregiment of militia (say the 
London or Middlesex,) were permitted 
by government, encouraged by their of= 
ficers, and fairly paid by the trustees, to 
lend their physical strength towards the 
Improvement of Highgate-hill, how 
much might be accomplished in a short 
space of time! And if a similar party 
of the military were to attempt the im- 
provement of Ridge-hill, and, indeed, 
of ail the considerable hills between Lon-~ 
don and Holyhead, it would surely be a 
public benefit. The great road commu- 
nicating with Ireland claims, in my ap- 
prehension, our first care, and every 
practicable method should be adopted 
to facilitate our intercourse with the sis- 
ter kingdom. These observations, Mr. 
Editor, are submitted to your notice ; 
and if you think they will be productive 
of any good, I doubt not but they will 
find a place in your Miscellany. 
Your’s, &c. 
‘A Frienp ro ImpRovemMeEnts. 
= eee 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
OUR correspondent, Mr. Bannan- 
tine’s remarks on pastoral poetry, 
are very ingenious and entertaining. But 
Ido not exactly agree with him in his 
opinion of Theocritus, and other pastoral 
writers: they deserved, I judge, better 
treatment. 
With respect to Shenstone’s celebrated 
Ballad, I am one of those few, who think 
with Mr.'B. that a great part of it bor~ 
ders upon nonsense; inasmuch as to ren= 
‘der the whole ridiculous. It isan excellent 
subject for the burlesque: and I really 
wonder that its namby-pamby strain, 
should have received praise from John- 
son, and that it was never travestied be- 
fore ‘‘ the Devon and Cornwall Poets,’? 
thought proper to make merry with it. 
For the amusement of your readers, I 
shall insert in this place a few stanzas 
from the parody alludedto. After which, 
I must beg leave to recur to my first po- 
sition, that Theocritus ‘‘ deserved better 
treatment,” 
i 
In 
