The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1867-04-11

mains of at least dozen inns, by which
in the pre.railway period, hundred
coaches and Wagons ratified and creak-
ed daily on their way to and from Lon.
don. Who know but that the railways
will be obsolete, too, some dayY
The way back 10 Horton is hot and
dusty ; but every step is interesting, as
we are now certainly in the poets track
These runnels at the roadside existed in
his time, and in all essential features the
landscape remains what it was. On
these hedges grew the " bloomy spray y
where the nightingale sang, to which
he listened with new found Joy on his
first visit to the paternal country
house )" and hereabouts were those
Meadows trim with daisies pied,
Shallow brooks and rivers wide,
With every other charming feature Of
the scenery to which he has alluded in
the AHcgroy except the imaginary
mountains" for which it is necessary
to substitute the modest Berkshire hills
which bound the landscape. Returning
thus towards Horton Church, pleasantly
dreaming by the way OF the old Puritan
times, and Of the footsteps which have
so long since been effaced, we pass on
the left the rectory-not the old house
of Millions time, for it has long since
been replaced by model structure -
standing in its own pleasant grounds
and See ! on the right carriage has
drawn up at the door of u cottage,
which proves to be the dwelling Of the
sexton. But what have muslin dresses,
and gay parasols, and rosy faces half
hidden beneath their shade, to do with
this grave functionary These are
visitors, going like myself to Horton
Church, not altogether on the poets ac-
count, as I presently discover, but to see
the gravestones Of their people.
Like a true Englishman, l always try
to climb as high as possible so, the
right key having been produced, l
mount the stairs of the church tower,
and find that it commands fine view of
the surrounding country. This is the
only point, in fact, from which land
scape" can be said to present itself in
the noighborhood of Horton, except the
distant view OF Windsor from the Wrays.
bury road. This fact set me thinking,
until l persuaded myself that the young
poet had often mounted these well-worn
stairs, and that the scenery of the AHe>
gro was sketched from this " coign of
vantage" 1t may be a fancy, but
whore else could the poet have imagin-
ed himself standing, when he exclaimed,
with a bnrst Of delight
Strait mine eye hath caught new pleasures,
While the landscape round it measures
Mount the tower, as I did, after ram
BILE through the neighborhoed, and you
will not doubt for u moment that those
lines mark transition in the poets
feeling, and new and larger view of
the landscape, than had been present to
his minds eye moment before. 1t
may even be that the contemplative po-
ct sat here at midnight to outwatch
the bear" unsphere the spirit of Plato"
and brood over the tragic memories so
solcmnly recalled in the Penseroso.-
Milton paints the euchantmcnt OF Night
as only one familiar with its solemnity
could paint it and some rising
ground not easily to be found in
Horton,--or some " lonely tower " form
ed his ideal Of spot suited for refec-
lion.
All me My meditations were sud
denly interrupted by the sharp ringing
of bell, and Milton and all belonging
to him vanished angrily in the trail of
smoke and steam, which told me once
more that we are not now living iu
Millions times, and-,that Twas just
minute or SO too late for the train
homewards