Miss Mitford's Farewell To Three Mile Cross
When Miss Mitford left her rustic cottage at Three Mile Cross, and
removed to Reading, (the Belford Regis of her novel), she penned the
following beautiful picture of its homely joys--
"Farewell, then, my beloved village! the long, straggling street, gay
and bright on this sunny, windy April morning, full of all implements of
dirt and mire, men, women, children, cows, horses, wagons, carts, pigs,
dogs, ge
Farewell to the winding, up-hill road, with its clouds of dust, as
horsemen and carriages ascend the gentle eminence, its borders of turf,
and its primrosy hedges! Farewell to the breezy common, with its islands
of cottages and cottage-gardens; its oaken avenues, populous with rooks;
its clear waters fringed with gorse, where lambs are straying; its
cricket-ground where children already linger, anticipating their summer
revelry; its pretty boundary of field and woodland, and distant farms;
and latest and best of its ornaments, the dear and pleasant mansion
where dwelt the neighbours, the friends of friends; farewell to ye all!
Ye will easily dispense with me, but what I shall do without you, I
cannot imagine. Mine own dear village, farewell!"
* * * * *
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