e
genus_, diversity of callings, occupations, to be busied about, [3200]
"sometimes to live in the city, sometimes in the country; now to study or
work, to be intent, then again to hawk or hunt, swim, run, ride, or
exercise himself." A good prospect alone will ease melancholy, as Comesius
contends, _lib. 2. c. 7. de Sale_. The citizens of [3201]Barcino, saith he,
otherwise penned in, melancholy, and stirring little abroad, are much
delighted with that pleasant prospect their city hath into the sea, which
like that of old Athens besides Aegina Salamina, and many pleasant islands,
had all the variety of delicious objects: so are those Neapolitans and
inhabitants of Genoa, to see the ships, boats, and passengers go by, out of
their windows, their whole cities being situated on the side of a hill,
like Pera by Constantinople, so that each house almost hath a free prospect
to the sea, as some part of London to the Thames: or to have a free
prospect all over the city at once, as at Granada in Spain, and Fez in
Africa, the river running betwixt two declining hills, the steepness
causeth each house almost, as well to oversee, as to be overseen of the
rest. Every country is full of such [3202]delightsome prospects, as well
within land, as by sea, as Hermon and [3203]Rama in Palestina, Colalto in
Italy, the top of Magetus, or Acrocorinthus, that old decayed castle in
Corinth, from which Peloponessus, Greece, the Ionian and Aegean seas were
_semel et simul_ at one view to be taken. In Egypt the square top of the
great pyramid, three hundred yards in height, and so the Sultan's palace in
Grand Cairo, the country being plain, hath a marvellous fair prospect as
well over Nilus, as that great city, five Italian miles long, and two
broad, by the river side: from mount Sion in Jerusalem, the Holy Land is of
all sides to be seen: such high places are infinite: with us those of the
best note are Glastonbury tower, Box Hill in Surrey, Bever castle, Rodway
Grange, [3204]Walsby in Lincolnshire, where I lately received a real
kindness, by the munificence of the right honourable my noble lady and
patroness, the Lady Frances, countess dowager of Exeter: and two amongst
the rest, which I may not omit for vicinity's sake, Oldbury in the confines
of Warwickshire, where I have often looked about me with great delight, at
the foot of which hill [3205]I was born: and Hanbury in Staffordshire,
contiguous to which is Falde, a pleasant village, and an anci