Highways and byways in Surrey . oveliest and richest of English landscapes. Itwas a huge sea of verdure, with crossing and intersectingpromontories of massive and tufted groves. It was tenantedby numberless flocks and herds, which seemed to wanderunrestrained and unbounded through the rich pastures. TheThames, here turreted with villas and there garlanded withforests, moved on slowly and placidly, like the mightymonarch of the scene, to whom all its other beauties werebut accessories, and bore on its bosom an hundred barks 238 LONDONERS COUNTRY chap. and skiffs, whose white sails and gaily flu
Highways and byways in Surrey . oveliest and richest of English landscapes. Itwas a huge sea of verdure, with crossing and intersectingpromontories of massive and tufted groves. It was tenantedby numberless flocks and herds, which seemed to wanderunrestrained and unbounded through the rich pastures. TheThames, here turreted with villas and there garlanded withforests, moved on slowly and placidly, like the mightymonarch of the scene, to whom all its other beauties werebut accessories, and bore on its bosom an hundred barks 238 LONDONERS COUNTRY chap. and skiffs, whose white sails and gaily fluttering pennonsgave life to the whole. That was the scene which was shownto Jeanie Deans, arrived at Richmond to sue for pardon forher sister, by the Duke of Argyle. We have nothing likeit in Scotland, said the Duke of Argyle. Is that the secret ?Is it because it is all that is typical of south country greennessand the peace of broad water and deep woodlands that it madeits appeal to the Scot used to grey crags and barren moor-. The Thames front Riehmond Hill. land ? Or is its chief appeal not to the Scot but to theLondoner, and does the Londoner praise Sir Walters tastebecause Sir Walter has praised his? That is part of thestory of the beauty of the Richmond view, perhaps. It is soeasily found from London. It has all that the Londoner lovesto look at. It is the country as he wishes to see it. Aglorious stretch of luxuriant woodland, a noble breadth ofshining water, sunlight on wide meadows ; but above all, setting xxr DEER IN THE SUN 239 a difference between thisorderly beauty and the wild splendoursof some western or northern moorland valley, the presence ofbefriending, comrade man. The boats, the sails, the swans, thewater flashing on the oars ; the neighbouring roofs, the patternedflower gardens, the comforts of hotels at hand, the readinesswith which it is all won and enjoyed—those are some of thesecrets of the ideal. It is the country seen from an outdoorrtieatre.
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Keywords: ., bookauthorthomsonh, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookyear1921
