As SECT. XXXVIII. S we set fail from Netley-Abbey, we had a beautiful view of Southampton, running from us in a point directly oppofite to that view which we had from Redbridge. The indentations made by the river Itchin, and other creeks, are great advantages to the view. From Southampton we took our rout to Winchester, through a very very beautiful country. The first object is an artificial avenue, compofed of detached groups of fir. The idea of an avenue as a connecting thread between a town and a country, is a good one. We obferve, however, that the beauty of this avenue is much greater as we approach Southampton, than as we leave it. As we leave it, the avenue ends abruptly in a naked country; but as we turned round, and viewed it in retrospect, it united with the woody scene around it, which had a good effect. A retrospect also afforded afforded beautiful views over Southampton river, and its appendages, the town, Newforeft, and the Isle of Wight. All this pleafing country appeared under various forms; and was often fet off with good foregrounds. Having paffed the avenue, and a few miles of miscellaneous country, no way interesting, we entered, about the fixth ftone, a forest-scene, abounding with all the charms of that species of landscape. In this we continued three or four miles. From these woody scenes the country becomes more heathy; but is ftill diverfified with wood, and affords many pleasing distances on the right; till at length it fuddenly degenerates into chalky grounds, which are of the fame kind as thofe defcribed in our approach to Winchester *. We left Winchester by the Basingstoke road; which paffes through a country, with little picturesque beauty on either hand. It becomes by degrees flat and unpleasant, and foon degenerates into common-field land, which, with its ftriped divifions, is of all kinds of country generally the most unpleasant. Near Basingstoke ftand the ruins of Bafinghoufe, which we cannot pafs without feeling a refpect for the gallant figure it made, beyond that of any fortrefs of its fize, in the civil wars of Charles I. It was at that time the feat of the Marquis of Winchester, who fortified and held it for the king, during the greatest part of thofe troublesome times, though it underwent an almoft continued blockade. Once it was fo far reduced by famine, as to be on the point of surrendering; and its relief by Colonel Gage was confidered as one of the most foldierly actions of the war. Lord Clarendon has detailed this gallant enterprize at length. The outlines of it are these. The King was then at Oxford. He had been applied to for affistance by the garrison at Basing-house; but it was blockaded by fo large a force, that all the military men about him thought any attempt to relieve it, defperate. Gage, however, offered his fervice; and getting together a few volunteers, well mounted, undertook the business. On Monday night he left Oxford, which is forty miles from Basing-house; came up with the befiegers before day-light on Wednesday morn |