474 
both parts of the kingdom can be re- 
moved only by the means which your 
correspondent suggests: by purer modes 
ef speech set by the teachers of youth. 
But unfortunately, the greater part of in- 
structors in schoals are very incompetent 
to this task, and I am therefore afraid 
toat our children will not speak much 
better. than their fathers and mothers, 
If I were called upon to mention the 
counties where the generality of people 
speak the best, I think I should pitch 
upon Hants and Sussex. Your's, &c., 
“a AvuLus Maoririvs. 
Gainsborough, Aug. 9. 
= ee 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
WALKS 2” BERKSIJRE. 
NGLAND is well known to be the 
only country, in which the plain 
and humble pedestrian meets with any 
thing bordering, on respect. [ will not 
stop to seek for the reason of this pecu- 
liarity, but content myself with observing, 
that it is to be Jamented, due advantage 
is not more frequently taken of this ra- 
tional and highly-pleasing impartiality 
of manners. ‘There is something grati- 
fying, Johnson says, in the very notion 
of a journey: no species of travel as- 
surediy affords motion so pleasing as that 
of the pedestrian. Limited by judgment, 
it is exercise without fatigue. The mind 
participates in the exertion of body. 
Man moves, in a natural manner, amid 
scenes of nature; and his temper softens 
to avein of feeling simplicity. 
To the south-west of the town of 
Reading, the river Thames strays through 
a fertile and picturesque valley. On 
one side, the Oxfordshire hills rorm a 
steep and proud barrier; on the other, 
the lovelf undulations of Berkshire peep 
over the vale, enriched with luxuriant 
foliage, or softened. by delicate verdure. 
‘Ehrough this tract the Thames wanders 
in a thousand fantastic meanders: no 
longer does he pour his stream in a direct 
line, as he is seen to do over flats emi- 
nent only for. their profusion of sedge. 
A poetical fancy would almost ascribe 
the province of animated nature to the 
* 
Watks in Berkshire. 
[Sept. j, 
who strays along the banks of the 
Thames, between the towns of Wating= 
ford and Reading, will readily enter into 
the propriety of this idea. At every 
fresh curve of the majestic stream, anew 
scene bursts on the eye, worthy the se- 
lection of a Claude, or a Loutherbourg. 
From the lofty. edstice, still unfinished, 
of Mr. Scorer, at Purley, a@ general view 
is taken of this fertile vale. Fach swell- 
ing hill, verdant interstice, and devious 
current, Jend their aid to the pictorial 
charms of the great river, and dazzie the 
eye In one vast assemblave of beaunes. 
Descending from this elevation, the tra- 
veller mixes mitnnately with the beauties 
before contefpiated at an ungracious 
distance, and finds the imagination more: 
pleasing!y employed with siogie and pe- 
culiar features of the scene, than with 
the great and general. dispiay, .whmeh, 
though grand, is ever too vast for the 
fancy to particularize. 
In a retired and elegant residence at 
Purley, lived, very lately, Charles Cat- 
ton, Esq. well known to the world of 
taste, as an artist of eminent attainments.: - 
Amid the rural attractiuns of this neigh- — 
bourhood, he might be truly said to en- 
joy life, since no man knew better how 
to appreciate those bounties of Nature 
by which he was surrounded. — It was 
here that he caught the soft tints of 
opening spring, and traced the vaned - 
hues of autumn, No internuxture of sea- 
son escaped his observation; and quickly — 
as the beauty of the day hastens to vicis- 
situde, he arrested its flight, and bade 1t 
_live for ever on his glowing canvas. -Pri- 
vate feelings may tot carry regret to @ 
length of absurdity, when [ say it was a 
national misfortune for eccentricity of 
opinions to lead a man, so calculated to 
adorn his country, to the imbospitahle 
wilds of America. To that chill region 
of mere mercantile speculation has Mr. 
Catton carried elegance of pencil and 
refinement of sentiment. In taking with 
him many fine and estimable paintings, 
I fear he has immolated a Jittle treasure 
on the shrine of mdifference. May it be 
otherwise! and his genius, Jike an 
excursive measures, in which he here 
“ winds his slow course along;” and 
believe, that Taste impelled the slothful 
character of his. wanderings through 
scenes so rare and attractive. 
Warner, the most agreeable of pedes- 
trian tourists, observes, that the beau- 
electric spark, kindle the taste of tribes 
who have yet to 
learn the value of any - 
. ; ‘S ee) 
commodity a step beyond the useful ! 
On the opposite side of the Thanies;. 
at Maple-Durham, in Oxfordshire, i$)” 
seen the recluse and antiquated dwelling — 
of Michael Blount, Esq. Around this 
ties of a countty are never so fairly de- 
veloped, as to the traveller who skirts 
the margin of a great river, The man 
2 
amansion, the Roman (or as Dr. Geddes 
expressed it, the English) Catholic reli= 
gion spreads the ipnoxious fascination, of 
a hlBy 
