THE PARSON'S DAUGHTER OF OXNEY COLNE

by Anthony Trollope




The prettiest scenery in all England--and if I am contradicted in that
assertion, I will say in all Europe--is in Devonshire, on the southern
and south-eastern skirts of Dartmoor, where the rivers Dart, and Avon,
and Teign form themselves, and where the broken moor is half
cultivated, and the wild-looking upland fields are half moor. In
making this assertion I am often met with much doubt, but it is by
persons who do not really know the locality. Men and women talk to me
on the matter, who have travelled down the line of railway from Exeter
to Plymouth, who have spent a fortnight at Torquay, and perhaps made an
excursion from Tavistock to the convict prison on Dartmoor. But who
knows the glories of Chagford? Who has walked through the parish of
Manaton? Who is conversant with Lustleigh Cleeves and Withycombe in
the moor? Who has explored Holne Chase? Gentle reader, believe me
that you will be rash in contradicting me, unless you have done these
things.

There or thereabouts--I will not say by the waters of which little
river it is washed--is the parish of Oxney Colne. And for those who
wish to see all the beauties of this lovely country, a sojourn in Oxney
Colne would be most desirable, seeing that the sojourner would then be
brought nearer to all that he would wish to visit, than at any other
spot in the country. But there in an objection to any such
arrangement. There are only two decent houses in the whole parish, and