I also found the first part of Radcliffe's The Mysteries of Udolpho to be a tiring read. It seemed that descriptions of the "pastoral valley" in the "shade of the cliffs, with flocks and herd loitering along the banks of a rivulet, that refreshed it with perpetual green," were endless (p. 49). However, as Emily journeys to Udoplho, the mood of the novel shifted to one of intrigue and mystery. The descriptions now were important in understanding the plot, and they helped build anticipation and suspense.
*Note: on p. 49 St. Aubert talks about virtue, which caught my attention as Pamela is always on my mind. "Virtue and taste are nearly the same, for virtue is little more than active taste, and the most delicate affections of each combine in real love."
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The scenery at the begining of the book I found just as important as when she was in Udolpho. If nothing else it sets up the contrast from how peaceful her life was with her father among the beautiful serene scenery to how unsafe and mysterious it is in the scary Udolpho.
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