Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume I.djvu/37

 of immense sums having been lavished in schemes of this kind, without producing the expected lucrative return. An example of such a disappointment occurred to us when we came within two miles of Glocester, where the Stone canal, running from that city, approaches the road, and accompanies it in a parallel direction for some distance. The intention was to lead this cut through Berkley into the Severn, and a large sum was instantly subscribed for that purpose; but after proceeding four miles, the fund being exhausted, the sharers perceived too late, that they had over-rated the probable profits of the scheme; and considering the first loss as the best, they refused to involve themselves deeper by a further advance, and relinquished the prosecution of the work. The only purpose, therefore, to which the cut is now applied is the carriage of coal from Glocester to the parishes bordering upon its banks.

From this point we first caught a view of the city of Glocester, or rather of its rich ecclesiastical architecture, the summits of which shoot out from the surrounding wood, and present a beautiful and magnificent groupe of towers and spires; whilst the rising hills to the right (amongst which that of Robin-Hood is most conspicuous) cultivated to their tops, present a scene of uncommon splendour