ray of an evening fun, not yet indeed setting, but very splendid: and all this fplendor was received by the tops of trees, which rofe directly in front, and being opposed to the gloomy tint behind them, made a most brilThis is among the most

liant appearance. beautiful effects of an evening-fun. These effects are indeed as various as the forms of landscape which receive them; but nothing is more richly enlightened than the tufted foliage of a wood.

We now approached the fea, at least the river Tamer, which is near its eftuary; and as this coaft is perhaps one of the most broken and irregular of the whole island, we had feveral views of little creaks and bays, which being furrounded with wood, are often beautiful. But they are beautiful at full-fea only; at the ebb of the tide, each lake becomes an oozy channel.

The picturesque beauty of a scene of this kind once cost a poor traveller dear. He had long been in queft of a fituation for a house, and found one at length offered to fale, exactly suited to his taste. It was a lake scene;

in which a little peninfula, floping gently into the water, presented from its eminence a pleas ing view of the whole. Charmed with what he had seen, he ruminated in his way home on the various improvements it might admit; and fearing a disappointment, entered, without farther scrutiny, into an agreement with the owner, for a confiderable fum. But what was his astonishment, when, on taking poffeffion, his lake was gone, and in its room, a bed of filthy ooze! How did he accufe his rashness, and blame his precipitate folly! In vain he wished to retract his bargain. In vain he pleaded, that he had been deceived; that he had bought a lake; and that, in fact, the object of his purchase was gone. "You might "have examined it better," cried the unfeeling gentlemen of the law: "What have we to "do with your ideas of picturesque beauty? "We fold you an estate, and if you imposed upon yourself, you have nobody else to blame."

From the road, as we paffed, we had a view of Trematon-castle, where a ftannery court is still kept, which had formerly very extensive

privileges. Trematon-law is almoft to this day an object of reverence among the common people of Cornwall.

Soon after, Saltash-bay opened on the left, and on the right, Hamoaz harbour, with many a gallant fhip of war at anchor upon its ample bofom. Beyond the Hamoaz rose the hanging lawns and woods of Mount Edgcomb, forming a noble back-ground to the scene.

At Saltash we had good views of the river Tamer, both above and below the town. A fweeping bay is formed on each fide, in many places at least a mile in breadth. In both directions the banks are high, and the water retires beautifully behind jutting promontories.

Having croffed the Tamer at Saltash, we had four miles farther to Plymouth. Through the whole way we had various views of the the found, Mount Edgcomb, Plymouth harbour, Hamoaz, Plymouth town, and Plymouth dock. From all these views together we were able to collect a clear geographical idea of this celebrated harbour.

Two