The Natural History of Selbourne

The Natural History of Selbourne is a nature history book that describes the bird life of England and the Selbourne area specifically. Here is a passage from the book: See Selborne spreads her boldest beauties round The varied valley and the mountain ground Wildly majestic ! What is all the pride Of flats with loads of ornaments supplied ?-- Unpleasing tasteless impotent expense Compared with Nature's rude magnificenee. Arise my stranger to these wild scenes haste; The unfinish'd farm awaits your forming taste: Plan the pavilion airy light and true; Through the high arch call in the length'ning view; Expand the forest sloping up the hill; Swell to a lake the scant penurious rill; Extend the vista; raise the castle mound In antique taste with turrets ivy-crown'd: O'er the gay lawn the flow'ry shrub dispread Or with the blending garden mix the mead; Bid China's pale fantastic fence delight; Or with the mimic statue trap the sight.