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第34章 河谷寻幽 1（第1页）

第34章河谷寻幽（1）

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威廉·科贝特WilliamCobbett

Ihroadabouttwomiles，orthree，aurnedoff，overthedowns，inaerlydiresearchofthesourceoftheAvoesdowntoSalisbury。Ihadoheravon，avillageinthisvalley，butIhadoftehisvalleydescribedasopiedinallEnglaherewereaboutthirtyparishchurdihofaboutthirtymiles，andihofhardlyamile；andIwasresolvedtoseealittleihatcouldhaveiherstobuildallthesechurches，especiallyif，astheScotchwouldhaveusbelieve，therewerebutamerehandfulofpeopleinEnglanduntiloflateyears。

Insteeringacrossthedowefarm，herdtoldmewasMiltonHillFarm。Thisonthehighland，aotheedgeofthisValleyofAvon，whichromise，oratleast，ofgreatexpe；forIagihirtychurcheshadbeenbuiltfbythesideofabrook（foritishegreaterpartoftheway）thirtymileslong。TheshepherdshowedmethewaytowardsMilton；andattheendofaboutamile，fromthetophpartofthedoslopetowardsthevalley，If？irstsawthisValleyofAvon；andamostbeautifulsightitwas！Villages，hamlets，largefarms，towers，steeples，f？ields，meadows，ordveryf？irees，scatteredalloverthevalley。Theshapeofthethingisthis：oneachsidedowyandsteepinsomepladslopingmilesbaotherplaces；buteachoutsideofthevalleyaredowns。Fromtheedgeofthedowalarablef？ieldsgenerallyreatdimensions，and，insomeplaiwobatolittlecrossvalleys，formedbyhillsofdowhef？ieldseadowsoneachside，downtothebrookorriver。Thefarmhouses，mansions，villages，asaregeuatedinthatpartofthearablelandwhieshemeadows。

&asmyexpeshadbeehanfulf？illed。Idelightinthissortoftry；andIhadfrequehevaleoftheIt，thatoftheBourn，andalsothatoftheTesteinHampshire；IhadseetheSouthDowns；butIneverbeforesawanythingtopleasemelikethisvalleyoftheAvon。IsatuponmyhorseandlookedoverMiltoonandPewseyforhalfanhhIhaded。Thehillwasverysteep。Aroad，goingslantingdownit，wasstillsosteep，andwashedsoverydeepbytheraiIdidoridedownit，andIdidoleadmyhorse，thepathwassonarrow。Soseeingaboywithadroveofpigsgoingouttothestubbles，Ibetoe；andhedledmyhorsedownihisbeautifulvale，letmegive，aswellasmymeanswillenableme，aplanormapofit，whichIhavemadeinthisway。AfriemeaveryoldmanofWiltshiredesgthespotswhereallthechurd，andalsoallthespotswheremanor-housesormansioood。Ilaidapieceofverythihemap，andthustracedtheriverupoiorepreseswherechurd，andputtingstarstorepreswheremanor-housesormansion-housesformerlystood。Ehevarietyintheshapeofthehighlandswhithisvalley。Sometimestheslehearablelandsgobackveryfar。Atothers，thedowothevalleyalmostlikepiersintothesea，beieepintheirsides；aswellastheireheyhaverunintothemainhighland。Thereisalsogreatvarietyihofthevalley；greatvarietyihofthemeadows；butthelaobeoftheverybest；anditmustbeso，forthefarmersfessit。

&omethatoneway，andthatheleaststrikihefolly，thestupidity，theinaion，theinsufferableemptinessandinsolendbarbarity，ofthosecheswhohaveytoproposetotransportthepeopleofEngland，upontheprihemohus，whohasfurheunfeelingoligardtheirtoad-eaterswiththepretemanhasanaturalpropensitytobreedfasterthanfoodberaisedfortheiseemedtomethatoneosingthismixtureofmadnessandofblasphemywastotakealook，nowthattheharvestisin，attheproduce，themouths，the，andthegesthathavetakenplaaspotlikethis，whichGodhasfavouredwitheverygoodthathehashadtobesto