第18部分(第1/7 頁)

hill　was　very　steep。　A　road；　going　slanting　down　it；　was　still　so　steep；　and　washed　so　very　deep　by　the　rains　of　ages；　that　I　did　not　attempt　to　ride　down　it；　and　I　did　not　like　to　lead　my　horse；　the　path　was　so　narrow。　So　seeing　a　boy　with　a　drove　of　pigs　going　out　to　the　stubbles；　I　beckoned　him　to　e　up　to　me；　and　he　came　and　led　my　horse　down　for　me。　But　now；　before　I　begin　to　ride　down　this　beautiful　vale；　let　me　give；　as　well　as　my　means　will　enable　me；　a　plan　or　map　of　it；　which　I　have　made　in　this　way。　A　friend　has　lent　me　a　very　old　man　of　Wiltshire　describing　the　spots　where　all　the　churches　stand；　and　also　all　the　spots　where　manor…houses　or　mansion…houses　stood。　I　laid　a　piece　of　very　thin　paper　upon　the　map；　and　thus　traced　the　river　upon　my　paper；　putting　figure　to　represent　the　spots　where　churches　stand；　and　putting　stars　to　reprent　the　spots　where　manor…houses　or　mansion…houses　formerly　stood。　Endless　is　the　variety　in　the　shape　of　the　high　lands　which　from　this　valley。　Sometimes　the　slope　is　very　gentle；　and　the　arable　lands　go　back　very　far。　At　others；　the　downs　e　out　into　the　valley　almost　like　piers　into　the　sea；　being　very　steep　in　their　sides；　as　well　as　their　ends：　indeed　they　have　no　back　ends；　but　run　into　the　main　high　land。　There　is　also　great　variety　in　the　width　of　the　valley；　great　variety　in　the　width　of　the　meadows；　but　the　land　appears　all　to　be　of　the　very　best；　and　it　must　be　so；　for　the　farmers　confess　it。

It　seemed　to　me　that　on