The International Monthly Magazine - Volume V - No II — John Shaqi
The International Monthly Magazine - Volume V - No IIVarious
History
The International Monthly Magazine - Volume V - No II
Various
Art, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Science -- History -- Periodicals
How grandly the promontory of St. George’s Hill stands out—sheltering
Weybridge, and forming a beautiful back-ground to Byfleet and the banks of
the Way; not forgetting its ruins—a Roman encampment of two thousand years
age, and its modern ornaments of rare trees, of which a generous nobleman
has made common property, to be enjoyed daily by all who choose. At the
foot of this richly planted hill, is the beautiful park of Oatlands—on the
eve of becoming an assemblage of villa-grounds. How pleasant to feel that
we can account, by our own knowledge of that glowing mount, for all the
shades formed by the hills and hollows, and different growths of trees in
the depths or heights of "the encampment," which forms the delight of many
a toilsome antiquary. Beyond are the more distant eminences of the North
Downs, and a tract of country extending into Kent. But we have not yet
explored the beauties of this our own hill of Chertsey; truly, to do so,
would take a day as long as that of its own black cherry fair.
A path to the left, among the fern and heather, leads to a well, famed for
its healing properties—it is called the Nun’s Well; even now, the peasants
believe that its waters are a cure for diseases of the eye; the path is
steep and dangerous, and it is far pleasanter to walk round the brow of
the hill and overlook the dense wood which conceals the well, fringing the
meadows of Thorpe, than to seek its tangled hiding-place in the dell. The
monks of old would be sorely perplexed if they could arise, to account for
the long line of smoke which marks the passage of the different trains
along their railroads. But we turn from them to enjoy a ramble round the
brow of St. Anne’s Hill; the coppice which clothes the descent into the
valley, is so thick, that though it is intersected by many paths, you
might lose yourself half-a-dozen times within an hour; if it be evening,
the nightingales in the thickets of Monksgrove have commenced their
chorus, and the town of Chertsey, down below, is seen to its full extent,
its church tower toned into beauty by the rich light of the setting sun,
while through the trees and holly thickets you obtain glimpses of the
Guildford and Leatherhead hills, so softly blue, that they meet and mingle
with the sky.
[Illustration: GATE OF FOX’S HOUSE.]
GATE OF FOX’S HOUSE.
[Illustration: SUMMER HOUSE IN FOX’S GARDEN.]
SUMMER HOUSE IN FOX’S GARDEN.
[Illustration: TEMPLE OF FRIENDSHIP.]
TEMPLE OF FRIENDSHIP.
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