An Old-Fashioned Journey through England and Wales

Front matter

AN OLD-FASHIONED JOURNEY LONDON : PRINTED BY SFOTTISWOODE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUARt AND PARLIAMENT STREET SNOWDON FROM NEAR CAPEL CURIG From a tleleh by J. .7 HiSBKY AN Oft>*5a*!Honeb 3ourne2 THROUGH (Bngfanfc anfc TEafee BY JAMES JOHN HISSE\ England ! thou hast within thy wave-girt isle Scenes of magnificence and beauty rare, Too often scorn'd by thy ungrateful sons, Who leave, unseen, thy lovely hills and vales, And seek for pleasure 'neath a foreign sky ROGERSON • LONDON RICHARD BENTiLEY & SON, NEW BURLINGTON' STREET $)ublisbtrii in ©rbinara to $ier Pajeslii iljr Qiiten 1884 [A It rights reserved] TO MY WIFE COMPANION OF MY MANY JOURNEYINGS I DEDICATE THIS BOOK

Preface

We Englishmen hardly appreciate as we should the beauties of our own country. ' Know most of the rooms of thy native land, before thou goest over the threshold tnereof, especially seeing England presents thee with so many observables,' is the quaint advice given by that almost forgotten worthy, Thomas Fuller, some two centuries ago, and it is even more applicable to the present day than it was then. The charm of home travel delights us not ; we explore the globe from one end to the other, whilst far too often the charming and unique scenery of our own fair land is almost, if not altogether, neglected. I do not allude, of course, to the well-known and much tourist-haunted and guide-book-lauded spots, lovely though they may be, but to the glorious romantic and home like scenery to be found almost everywhere in this isle of ours. There is only one way of truly seeing the country ; rural England, away from railways and

PREFACE.

VIII busy towns, can only be really known and properly understood by taking to the highways and byways. Some years ago a friend persuaded me to join him on a driving tour through the southern counties. It was my first experience of such a delightful mode of travel, and I determined it should not be my last. Before that never-to-be-forgotten journey, I thought I knew England and English scenery well, but that drive was to me a revelation. Since then fortune has been propitious ; time and opportunity have permitted me to enjoy my summer holiday by taking driving excursions of some hundreds of miles every year, being away some two or three months each time. This volume is compiled from brief notes taken during one of those pleasant journeys. It has been a great and unalloyed pleasure to go over again some of my wanderings ; and if I can induce any of my readers to divert some of their spare time from foreign to home travel, I shall be more than rewarded for any trouble I may have had, and my book will have done good service. J. J. H. South Kensington, 1884. PAGE I '5 30 48 CONTENTS.

Chapter I

The Start— Advantages of a Driving Tour— Bedfont — Quaint Yew-trees — A Stony Road— The Horn Useful — Virginia Water — Windsor Forest — A Hot Day — Past and Present — Maidenhead — A Runaway Horse

Chapter II

Man and Horse — Old Cottages — Picturesque Interior — Old and New Builders — Bisham Church — Medmenham Abbey — Henley — Fair Mile — A Sleepy Village — A Road Monster — Fine View — Bensington — Good Quarters — An Old Cross — Oxford ........

Chapter III

Nearly coming to Grief — A Lonely Road — Witney — An Old Inn — A Bleak Country — Burford — Old Ruins — A Picturesque Village — Cirencester — Fine Old Church — A Gothic Tomb — English Farmers— The View from Birdlip — A Steep Descent — Gloucester : the Cathedral — Railway versus Road .

Chapter IV

Newnham — An Old Sword — A Stormy Drive — Blakeney — Lidney — A Deserted Inn — Chepstow Town and Castle — The Windcliff— An Old Wall— A Quaint Staircase— Tintern Abbey- Railways and Scenery — What the Landlord said CONTENTS X PAGE 63 79 98 IK)

Chapter V

Farewell to Tintern — Up the Valley of the Wye — Monmouth — A Ghostly Room — Raglan Castle — Abergavenny — Sugarloaf Mountain— Crickhowell — Curious Old Stone — Enter Wales — Caught in a Storm amongst the Mountains — Brecon — An Angler's Headquarters — Losing Our Way — Builth — Our Horn Stolen — Mineral Springs — An Old Harper — How Llewellyn Died .......

Chapter VI

A Desolate Road— Rhayader— A Wild Drive— A Moorland Village — Primitive Quarters — The Rector and his Church — A Deserted Railway — A Lonely Pass — Plynlimmon — Source of the Wye — A Dangerous Ford — The Devil's Bridge and Falls — A Mighty Ravine — A Mountainous Road — Aberystwith and its surroundings — A Glorious Evening

Chapter VII

Difficulty of Pronouncing Welsh Names — The British Climate — Aberdovey — Changing Scenery — Machynlleth — Welsh Boulevards — An Artistic Room — The Dovey — An Ancient Bard and Seer — A Toy Railway — Corris Quarries — A Steep Road — A Gloomy Mountain — Tal-y-llyn — The Pool of the Three Pebbles — The Rock of the Leap — Dolgelly — A Growing Steeple ! — Photographs versus Sketches — Cader Idris — The Torrent Walk — Nannau Park — Old British Stronghold — The Precipice Walk — Homespuns and Flannels — The Demon's Oak .......

Chapter VIII

Llanelltyd Bridge — British Gold Mines — Tyn-y-groes Falls — A Remarkable Shower — A Terribly Bad Road — Old Roman Way — Trawsvynydd — Cromlechs — A Barren Land — Ancient Forests — The Vale of Festiniog — Tan-y-Bwlch — A Melancholy Accident — A 2-feet Railway — The Black Cataract and the Raven Falls — Beddgelert — Gelert's Grave — A Welsh Matterhorn — Pont Aberglaslyn and Pass — Merlin and Vortigern — Nant Gwynant and the Gwynant Lakes — A Wandering Echo — Water versus Volcanic Action — Pen-y-Gwryd — A Lonely Inn — Goats ..... CONTENTS XI PAGE '43 '63 190

Chapter IX

Gorphwysfa — Through Llanberis Pass in a Thunderstorm — A Natural Cromlech —Dolbadarn Tower — The Chamonix of Wales — Snowdon — Waterfall of Ceunant Mawr — Spoiling Scenery — A Dreadful Catastrophe — Carnarvon Castle and Town — The 'George' at Bangor — Menai Straits — A Wonderful Echo — Telford's Suspension Bridge — A Dull Watering- Place — Magnificent Mountain Panorama — Beaumaris Castle — Moss-troopers — Anglesey Column — The Britannia Tubular Bridge ........

Chapter X

Penrhyn Castle — A Quaint Old Drinking Horn — A Model Village — Penrhyn Slate Quarries — Destroying a Mountain ; Grand Scenery — Llyn Ogwen — An Ill-omened Tarn — A Birthplace of Storms — Strange Adventure with an Artist — Falls of Benglog — The Three-Headed Mountain — A Lonely Hermit — Capel Curig Hotel and Lakes — A Useful Waterwheel — Moel Siabod — An Artist Friend — A Painter's Life — A Rural Inn — The Swallow Falls — A Haunted Cataract — The Miner's Bridge — The Royal Oak — A Valuable Sign-board- Inns all full .......

Chapter XI

Pentre Voelas — Old Welsh Bridges — An Ancient Stone — A Moorland Drive — Corwen — Hats — The Sort of People to Travel — The First Suspension Bridge — Our Forefathers and Ourselves — The. Vale of Llangollen — A very Antique Bridge — Iron versus Stone — Castell Dinas Bran — Valle Crusis Abbey — A Country of Waterfalls — The Conway Falls — A Rough Scramble — The Fairy Glen — Llanrwst — Llandudno — The Royal Cambrian Academy — A Breezy Town — The Great Orme's Head — St. Tudno's Chapel— Beauty and the Beast (in Bridges) — An Old House — Conway Town and Castle

Chapter XII

Penmaenmawr Headland— A Terrific Pass— An Exciting Drive —A Quiet Village — Aber Waterfall— A Beautiful Evening — Up the Conway Valley— Trout Fishing from a House — A Fine Cascade —We make Unexpected Friends — A Carriage CONTENTS XII PAGE 215 '44 268 a Passport when Travelling— A Mineral Spa — Trefriw — An Old-fashioned Inn — Good Company — Artists — An Old Church — Llyn Cravnant — Tea by the Lake-side — Sketching Excur sions — Anecdotes of Artists — The Lledr Valley — A Primitive Bridge — Dolwyddelan — An old Ruined Castle — A Wild and Hilly Road — Friends in a Wilderness — Slate Quarries — Festiniog— A Dog Guide — Cynfael Falls — ' Hugh Lloyd's Pul pit ' — The Maiden's Lake — A Legend — A Savage Ravine — Old Roman Bridge — Bala Lake — Old-fashioned Comfort

Chapter XIII

Bala and Bala Weather— Over the Berwyns — A Fine Prospect — Camping out — Llangynog — A Tiny Inn — A Small Leg of Mutton — Pennant Church — No English Spoken — A Giant's Ribs — Relics — The Legend of St. Monacella and the Hares — The Highest Fall in Wales — A Puzzling Picture — A Celtic Prison — Ancient Builders — A Friendly Landlord — A Foggy Drive — Strange Effects of Mist— The Horn in requisition — Llanfyllin— Old Hostelries — A Reasonable Bill— A Wealthy Mine — Cann Office Inn — Railways and expenditure .

Chapter XIV

A Lovely Country — Old Timbered Houses — Llanfair — Picturesque Confusion — Curious Old Church — A Coracle — — An American's Experiences — A Runaway Team — We Just Escape a Collision — Complicated Roads — Berriew — Rodney's Monument — Gold and Lightning — Montgomery Adventure with a Bull — Montgomery Castle — ' The Robber's Grave' — A Modern Miracle — The Legend of the Highwayman — A Ghastly Tomb — Bishop's Castle — A Clever Ruse — An Ancient Register — A Superannuated Locomotive — Clun, its Castle and Church — Knighton

Chapter XV

Knighton, an Enterprising Place— Offa's Dyke— King Harold's Law — Presteign— An Ancient Timbered Hostelrie The Warden Hill — The River Endwell — English and Welsh Cottages—Our Impressions of Taffy— A Laughable Catastrophe — Where Mrs. Siddons first appeared— Weobly— Brinsop Court— A Moated Grange — Wordsworth— The White Cross — The Green Dragon— Hereford and its Cathedral— Wyatt, CONTENTS XIII PAGE 288 3°7 323 343 the Restorer — A Knight's Tomb — The Castle Green — Led bury — An Old Town — A Peculiar Steeple — A Curious Tomb stone — A Strange Legal Fact — The Beacon Hill— A Fine Panorama — Malvern .....

Chapter XVI

Malvern — The Priory Church — Fine Stained-glass Windows — Worcester — The Cathedral — The most Ancient Royal Monument in England — Worcester Porcelain Works — China Painting — Upton — Tewkesbury — An Old Inn — Tewkesbury Abbey — Monasteries — Wonderful Relics — Monks and Miracles — A Pleasant Town — Reapers and Gleaners — A very Ancient Signpost — Wayside Memorials — Fruit Farming — Wormington Grange — Maps— An Ancient Hostelrie

Chapter XVII

Wiltersey — England's Mecca : Shakespeare's Birthplace and Grave — New Place — Stratford-on-Avon Church — Shakespearean Museum — Charlecote Park — Justice Shallow, his true character — Warwick — Driving under Churches — Leicester's Hospital — Our Old Buildings — Fine Old Tombs — More Monkish Relics — American Travellers — England in Six Days — Warwick Castle — Romantic Approach — A Perfect Storehouse of Treasures — Guy's Porridge-pot and Armour — Queen Anne's Portmanteau — Cedars Planted by the Crusaders — The Warwick Vase — Guy's and Cæsar's Towers — The Dungeons and their Inscribed Walls

Chapter XVIII

Sunshine and Shower — Country Perfumes — The Prettiest Road in England — Guy's Cliff — A Romantic Hermit — Kenilworth — Queen Elizabeth's Visit — Footpaths— Coventry— A Quaint Old Town— Coventry Cross— The Legend of Godiva — Peeping Tom — Ancient Churches— A Curious Inscription — The Old City Walls — An Act of Vandalism— An Interesting Stage — Coombe Abbey — The Queen of Bohemia — Rugby and its School ....... CONTENTS XIV PAGE 357 373

Chapter XIX

A Misleading Sign-post — Guides — A Rolling Country — Strange Sign-boards— Northampton Town and People — The Old Coaching Days — Times Past and Present— A Large Courtyard — Queen Eleanor's Cross — Horton— A Vanished Inn — We Camp out— Newport Pagnell— Bric-a-Brac Hunting — We Secure a Bargain — An Ancient Chimney-piece — Curious Inscription— Woburn Abbey— Hockliffe — A Race for Shelter — The Great North Road — Dunstable — Our Quarters at the Sugar-Loaf — The British Farmer — A Wet Day and Drive — St. Albans— Inn full — Home again . . . . INDEX

Chapter I

The Start — Advantages of a Driving Tour — Bedfont — Quaint Yew-trees — A Stony Road — The Horn useful — Virginia Water — Windsor Forest — A Hot Day — Past and Present — Maidenhead — A Runaway Horse. It was a glorious June day, the horses and phaeton were at the door, the former showing evident signs of impatience to be off, the latter in full travelling trim, with horse clothing, tools, and other necessaries for the road carefully stowed away ; our bags, rugs, mackintoshes neatly packed and secure against storm and dust ; the horn and travelling clock were in their places, and maps, guide-books, &c, all safely stowed away in the boot. So there was no need of delay, and we were quickly in our seats, and the horses' heads turned westwards, and London was slowly left behind. Slowly I have said, for London is a large place — it is a province more than a city — and we had some miles of suburban streets to travel before we could fairly call ourselves in the country.

Hammersmith, Kew Bridge, and Brentford — dirty Brentford — were duly left behind ; Sion House was passed, looking proudly desolate. We spun at a B good pace through the long and intensely uninterest ing street of Hounslow, and then the country was at last fairly reached. There is not to my mind a more delightful or a more thoroughly enjoyable method of spending a summer holiday than by taking a driving tour through some portion of our own beautiful country. To those ' long in city pent ' the effect of a continual change of scene, and the fact of being out so much in the fresh, pure air without fatigue, is one of in describable enjoyment ; those who have never journeyed thus can understand but little of the real pleasures of travelling. To the driving tourist, time-tables, booked places, the anxiety of luggage (well might the ancient Romans call it impedimentum) are only things to be remembered with a shudder as belonging to a de spotic age.

He — the fortunate traveller aforesaid — can start on his journey just when he feels inclined ; he is free to go where he will, just as his inclination or the scenery may prompt him ; he can loiter at any spot that may take his fancy, and, resting, thoroughly enjoy and drink in the full beauty of the scene. The country about Hounslow is flat and unin teresting to a degree. In the old coaching days, the heath — long since all enclosed — bore a well-earned, though an ill, reputation, and was a spot travellers were generally only too pleased to pass safely through without misadventure of any sort, or an acquaintance with the ' knights of the road.' Traversing such spots in the olden days must have been exciting enouo-h, PLEASURES OF ANTICIPATION 3 though to the nervous and lonely wayfarer not altogether an excitement of an agreeable nature ; then the heath must have presented a very different appearance to the peaceful, not to say dull, prosaic look it now bears.

At Bedfont, the first little village we passed, and where we rested the horses at the wayside inn for gruel, we noted the picturesque old church and quaintly cut yew-trees, and were tempted to dismount and inspect the same, and were quite repaid for our short walk across the village green. We soon now reached Staines, but did not need to be reminded by the most liberal and abundant supply of stones on the roads that its name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon for stone. We crossed the Thames here on a fine old bridge, and soon afterwards began to mount Egham Hill — and a stiff mount it was too. From the top we had a grand view to the left over a finely-wooded country, and a fresh bracing west wind welcomed us to the summit. We now felt we had left in earnest the busy hum and ceaseless bustle of town life altogether behind, for a period of three months or more, and our spirits were elated accord ingly.

Our way before us was all unknown ; possibly we might meet with some adventures, probably some discomforts ; but, come what may, we knew our future would be one of much and continued enjoy ment. The pleasures of anticipation, especially where the future is an unknown quantity, are great indeed ! We were wandering westwards to explore in due time the beauties of both North and South Wales, not the guide-book beauties, but to traverse, to us, unknown ways and lands, and to discover for our- B selves beauty spots, and romantic scenery, little heeded or quite unknown to the general tourist. We could almost enter into the feelings of Columbus on his voyages of discovery, for was not ours, too, a voyage of discovery ? But did ever mariner cruise in such a comfortable, steady ship as ours ? Our phaeton was our ship, the roads of Old England our ocean ; our anchor was weighed, our voyage commenced.

No wonder our spirits were high, and we joined with a lark overhead in his song of glad ness and freedom ! One of the advantages of a driving excursion — at least, speaking from my own experience — is, one never gets weary of it ; the constant change of scene day by day, and the total change of character of scenery as the journey goes on, from wild mountains and lonely lakes and tarns to quiet pastoral scenes, with grand old abbeys and quaint old-world English homes and villages, with their picturesque greens and dear old churches, nearly all well worthy of a visit ; again to the wild free moorlands where the air is so fresh and bracing ; changing again, perchance, to a country full of interest in sturdy mediæval castles, magnificent in their decay ; and so from the grand and wild to the peaceful and homelike.

Again, perchance, to a portion of country full of old romance and strange traditions, entwined with old castles, manor-houses, &c. And so one finds continual change : even the necessity of passing at times through the busy, noisy, smoky, and, I may as well add, the wealthy, if intensely ugly, manufacturing towns, helps by contrast to make one's DISCUSSING OUR PLANS 5 enjoyment of the country keener even, perhaps, than ever. Our stage for the night was Virginia Water, our stage for the morrow we knew not ; such uncertainty is one of the delights of this method of travel. Each evening, while taking our ease at our inn, our general rule is to have our road and guide books out, and to discuss our next day's plans and wanderings ; and what pleasurable excitements such dis cussions are, what anticipations for the morrow, what wonderings as to the weather, as to what we shall see, and what the scenery and roads will be like, and what and where our quarters for the night will be !

Perchance, besides our guide-books, we are able to gather from the landlord or landlady, as the case may be, or that much abused but most civil and obliging of men, the ostler, something that may influence us in our choice of route. But to return to our journey. The summit of Egham Hill reached, we soon began to descend, and a lovely road it was, bordered on either side with tall pines. Down the hill we quickly went, the brake hard on and the traces slack. At the bottom, some distance ahead, we saw our hotel for the night, the Wheatsheaf to wit, snugly ensconced in trees, and with comfortable-looking stables opposite, which gave promise of good quarters for our steeds. As we descended the hill we sounded the horn, which resulted, as it invariably does, in bringing the ostler to the fore. Very useful is the horn at times, especially when arriving late or otherwise in some sleepy village or country town, and when no one is about and no ostler is to be at once discovered — that useful individual often being boots, messenger, and per chance gardener as well, and very often he is to be found anywhere but in the stable-yard — then the sound of the horn acts like magic, and help is generally forthcoming.

In the present case both landlord and ostler were brought forth, and our belongings were quickly unpacked and conveyed to our room, and shortly afterwards the horses were enjoying the luxury of loose boxes, and revelling in a plentiful supply of sweet straw ; their corn, a liberal supply of course, not being forgotten. And so ended our first day's pilgrimage. We fared well at the Wheatsheaf, and in the evening strolled out and saw the lake and fall and ruins. Very peaceful and restful did the mere look as we wandered along its silent shore in the gloaming, so different to the ceaseless bustle and roar of the London streets we had so lately left behind. The artificial cascade and ruins looked their best in the soft mystic light, and the gentle murmur of the fall was soothingly wasted on the still evening air.

Three months hence, on our return home, the whole scene appeared somewhat tame and poor and even commonplace, but that was after the wild tarns and lakes of Wales ; but, compared to London, the spot in that witching evening hour looked wonderfully charming — so much for contrasts. We rested well that night, and awoke to a warm hazy morning, with a light southerly breeze, which gave promise of a hot summer's day. We therefore AN EVENING DRIVE 7 decided to start betimes, so as to make our first stage in the comparative cool of the early morning, to rest during mid-day, and to proceed to our des tination in the evening. And what a delicious time for driving a fine summer's evening is ! Can there be anything more delightful, I wonder, than to drive in the gloaming through a beautiful country in a well-built phaeton, behind a pair of willing horses ?

The tramp, tramp, clatter, clatter, of their hoofs, the measured rattling of the pole chains, the steady crunching sounds of the wheels on the roads, the pleasant, easy swing of the carriage, the sudden dashing through dark overhanging woods, the weird light of the lamps, and the enhanced mysterious beauty of the scenery in the dim, uncertain light, are all things combined to make such a drive something to be remembered. The exhilarating feelings and effect of such are worth a whole season of the monotonous routine of Hyde Park. How cheerily, too, sounds the horn in the still air, as an awkward corner is turned, or as some slow waggon or wain is overtaken ! How the trees, hedges, and sleepy cottages, with dark overhanging trees, seem to fly by! How kindly welcome and friendly sounds the oft-repeated ' Good-night ' from cottager and lonely wayfarer, so cheerfully and often given.

And here I may remark — weather, inns, and roads permitting, for all three have, of course, to be duly considered — we generally, if possible, endeavour to make our day's stage some twenty miles or so, more or less as the case may be, dividing our day's work, as far as practicable, into two stages of as '<nearly equal distance as we are able. It is astonish ing in England how easily — I might almost add how naturally — such stages can be taken, and how regu larly accommodation (varying considerably, of course) is to be had. Many of the inns — most I might say — are those of the old coaching days, when ten-mile stages were always to be had ; and of these very many more exist than anyone who has not travelled by road would suppose. Their coaching and posting business has of course gone for ever, but farmers attending market, commercial travellers, &c, give them their support ; and in Wales and other wild countries, where farmers and commercials are seldom seen, fishermen and tourists well supply their place.

And so we have found, from one end of England to the other, a plentiful supply of inns of some sort or another. Rough quarters of necessity both horses and ourselves have had to put up with at times, but on the whole we have fared very well, and enjoyed what little roughing we experienced. I value my horses, they are as old and trusted friends to me. Several thousands of miles over all kinds and conditions of roads, through all weathers — sunshine and storm — have we journeyed together, and I have brought them home, driving direct from Scotland, as fresh as possible, and playfully shying at the first London omnibus they saw. That is a proof of what horses with careful and kind treatment and proper driving can do. The great secret in taking a long journey with horses is, gentle driving ; we generally, nay almost always, walked all the hills, ourselves as well as the horses, for who would ON THE ROAD 9 wish to hurry on a journey of this kind ?

For such were not the railways specially invented ? and they had better be whirled through space by them ; but for ourselves, we delight in the country. There is so much to see everywhere, from the glorious sky overhead to the meanest flower growing amidst our most beautiful but unappreciated hedgerows. Driving thus carefully, and sparing our horses on heavy roads and steep hills, and seeing after their welfare as well as our own, although I have taken each summer for many years past now long driving tours, extending over some three months or more each time, I have never had my horses laid up ; nor have I, as far as I can remember, ever been delayed a single day by any mishap to either of my steeds. Many others who have essayed driving by road have not been so fortunate, and have exclaimed how lucky I was.

Now, although there must be of necessity a certain amount of chance and risk, which cannot of course be avoided, be you ever so careful, considering the continual change of stabling and drinking-water — the former sometimes cold, and even damp and draughty ; the latter occasionally quite unfit for cattle— the heavy roads, too, and long stages in hilly countries are often very trying ; still, with all these disadvantages, as I have said before, I have never had my horses laid up, a result I attribute solely to the gentle driving, and the care I have taken both in looking after and sparing them whenever possible. I have, as a matter of fact, brought them back to their stables on the return from my several journeys, not only showing no signs of fatigue, but looking as fresh and well as when they started ; and with a day's rest or so, or even if necessary without, quite fit to undertake another similar journey, were such required.

I fear I may have wearied you, kind reader, by this long digression, but our stage to-day, though full of interest, is not one to be easily described. After leaving Virginia Water, the road led towards Windsor Forest, between dark overhanging trees, which shielded us pleasantly from the sun : for even thus early in the morning it was more than warm enough to be agreeable. We trotted gaily along, passing a picturesque-looking old inn to the right, which seemed so solitary we wondered how it could exist at all ; after which we soon entered the sorest, and very beautiful it is, but a description of it would be so much like that of any other similar one, that I refrain from saying much, especially as it is so near London, and therefore easy of access and comparatively well known. After traversing some beautiful woods we soon reached a more open part of the forest, and just caught a glimpse to the right, in the far distant horizon, of certain well-known landmarks of the environs of London, such as Hampstead and Richmond Hills, and beyond and between which a bluey-grey haze told us where the greatest city of modern, or of all times, lay.

Farther on we came to a grand view of Windsor Castle, with the keep standing proudly out of a background of sky and far distant country, lost together in a golden mist. This I at once recognized as the point of view taken by David Cox in his fine painting of the same. THE OLD AND THE NEW 11 We continued our drive, passing such fine old timber as only England can show, till we almost came under the shade of the grand old pile, when we turned to the left and entered Windsor town. This had no attraction for us ; we therefore drove quickly through, and were once more in the country, on our way to Maidenhead. Not by the regular turnpike or main road, but by by-ways, as we found on our map there were such, and we deemed for many reasons they would be pleasanter than the old coach road, although less direct.