here from the lower grounds were equally pleasing, though not fo grand as from the higher. Indeed no part of this magnificent scenery would be a disgrace to the wildeft and most picturesque country.

The fall of the river, which brought us hither, and which is the least confiderable part of the scenery, (for we had heard nothing of these noble views,) is a mere garden-scene. The fteep woody hill, whofe fhaggy fides we had defcended, forms at the bottom, in one of its envelopes, a fort of little woody theatre; rather indeed too lofty when compared with its breadth, if Nature had been as exact as Art would have been, in obferving proportion. Down the central part of it, which is lined with smooth rock, the river falls. This rocky cheek is narrow at the top, but it widens as it defcends, taking probably the form of the ftream, when it is full. At the time we saw it, it was rather a spout than a cascade; for though it flides down a hundred and eighty feet, it does not meet one obftruction in its whole course, except a little check in the middle. When the springs are low, and the water has not quantity enough to push itself forward in one current, I have been told, it fometimes falls

in various little ftreams against the irregularities of the rock, and is dashed into a kind of vapoury rain, which has a good effect.

This cascade, it seems, is not formed by the waters of the Lid, as we had fuppofed from its name; but by a little ftream, which runs into that river, rifing in the higher grounds, at the distance of about two miles from the cascade.

SECT. XIX.

ROM Lidford we found a cheerful coun

FRO

try to Tavistock. In our way we paffed Brentor, which we had feen at a diftance when we firft faw the caftle of Lidford. It is feated on the top of a mountain, and was enveloped, when we rode paft it, in all the majefty of darkness. In fact, it was so much immerfed in clouds, that we could not even diftinguish its form; and if we had not feen it before at a distance, we should have been at a lofs to have known what it was; though we should certainly have thought it rather a castle than a church. How very lofty its fituation is, may be fuppofed from its being a good fea-mark in opening Plymouth harbour, though it ftands at the distance of twenty miles from the fea.

At Tavistock, from the appearance which the river Tavey makes at the bridge, it is probable there may be fome beautiful scenes along its banks, but we had not time to explore them.

As

As to the abbey, though it was once of mitred dignity, and though a confiderable portion of it ftill remains, we did not observe a fingle paffage that was worth our notice. What is left is worked up into barns, mills, and dwelling-houses. It may give the antiquarian pleafure to reverse all this metamorphofis; to trace back the ftable to the Abbott's lodge; the mill to the refectory; and the malt-house to the chapel: but the picturesque eye is so far from looking at these deeds of economy under the idea of pleasure, that it paffes by them with difdain, as heterogeneous abfurdities.

From Tavistock our next ftage was to Launcefton, through what seemed an unpleasant country. But the whole road was involved in fo thick a fog, that we saw but little of it. Where we could have wished the fog to clear up, it fortunately did, at a place called Axworthy. Here we defcended a steep winding woody hill, through the trees of which we had beautiful views of tufted groves, and other objects on the oppofite fide. At the bottom we found the Tamar, a fine ftream, adorned with a picturesque bridge.

The

The road foon brought us to Launceston, the capital of Cornwall, which is a handsome town. The castle was formerly esteemed one of the strongest fortreffes of the weft, as we may suppose at least from the name it bore, which was that of Caftle-terrible. During the civil wars of Charles I. it continued among the last supports of the royal cause in those parts though it has fuffered great dilapidations fince that time, its remains are still refpectable; and, what is more to the purpose at present, they are picturesque. The great gate and road up to it, and the towers that adorn it, make a good picture. The stately citadel makes a still better. It is raised on a lofty eminence, and confifts of a round tower, encompaffed by the ruins of a circular wall; in which, through a wide breach, you discover the internal ftructure to more advantage. The construction of this whole fortress is thought to have been very curious; and they who wish to have a full account of it, may be gratified in Borlafe's Hiftory of Cornwall.

A little