“I had evidently disturbed the bird from its perch which, on closer inspection, turned out to be something called the Bentinck Fountain. It had clearly seen glories greater than the poor laurels tossed its way now. Once it had been cherished as an effecting feature of a grand estate. Now it stood apologetically by the side of the road, its empty trough sticking out like a beggar's imploring hand.” PoetryChangeHistoryMetaphorMelancholyExplorationDecayCountrysideEntropyNesting Book:At Night: A Journey Round Britain from Dusk Till Dawn Source: At Night: A Journey Round Britain from Dusk Till Dawn