Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume I.djvu/58

 cherry is cultivated to that extent as to overwhelm completely the Worcester and neighbouring markets in the season with its produce.

As we proceeded, our interesting companions, the Malvern hills, assumed different situations in relation to us; sometimes bounding our view to the left, and at others lifting themselves in front, according as our road varied its direction; but on approaching the beautiful village of Severn-Stoke, and mounting to the head of another lofty rise of ground, we caught the extremity of their elevation, and threw our eye beyond them into the recesses of Worcestershire, over a magnificent sweep of country, bounded only by the distant heights of Shropshire. The imposition of a double toll at the turnpike-gate on entering Worcester from Tewksbury is recompensed in the improvement lately made in the city at this quarter, by which the traveller escapes the dangers of a narrow street and a sharp turning, and is led into the heart of Worcester through the Close, under the walls of its venerable cathedral.

We could not but allow that Worcester well deserved the praise of elegance which has been bestowed upon it; for no city has a greater appearance of comfort and neatness, owing to its uncommonly-large proportion of good private houses.