stumble.

A pedestrian like the writer could not avoid feeling grateful to the
constructor of this piece of road, for its beautiful and spacious
causeway, which extends from the village of Wandsworth to Putney
Heath. It is in most parts seven feet wide, and it doubtless owes much
of its hardness, smoothness, and dryness, to its declining position,
which causes the water to run off, carrying with it in solution the
argillaceous earth, and leaving a basis of pure but well pulverized
silex. All who reside in the country, ladies particularly, know how to
estimate the worth of a broad, smooth, and dry walk, by the miseries
so generally suffered from those of a contrary description. For the
sake, therefore, of the example and the precept, they will candidly
excuse the eulogy extorted from a wandering pedestrian on meeting with
so agreeable an accommodation in a district, which, in many respects,
seems appropriated to the caprice of wealth. To supply the deficiency
of our Road Bills, one sweeping law ought to enact that all turnpike
roads should be provided with a raised causeway for foot passengers,
at least five feet wide, with cross posts at every furlong to prevent
equestrians from abusing it, and with convenient seats at the end of
every mile. It is too much to expect in these times to see realized
the writer's favourite plan of #MILE-STONE# and #MARINE COTTAGES#,
among a people who have passionately mortgaged all their estates, and
blindly encumbered all their industry, in paying the interest of money
raised to carry on wars made for the purpose of regulating the
independant governments of other countries!

The sides of this road and the openings of the distant landscape,
excite the admiration of the eye of taste by the architectural and
horticultural beauties of mansions which have sprung out of the
profits or artifices of trade. The multiplication of these dormitories
of avarice is considered by too many as the sign of public prosperity.
Fallacious, delusive, and mischievous notion! Was the world made for
the many, or the few? Can any one become rich from domestic trade
without making others poor; or can another bring wealth from foreign
countries except by adding to the circulating medium, and thereby
diminishing the value of money? In either case, what is the benefit to
the public or the community? Yet a benefit is rendered visible--a fine
house has arisen where there stood before but a wretched hovel--and a
paradi