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　in　his　wit；　is　accustomed　to　dole　out　to　him。　　But　it　is　a　Robin　Goodfellow　nevertheless；　a　perfect　Puck；　that　loves　nothing　on　earth　so　well　as　mischief。　　Perhaps　the　horse　may　be　the　safer　conductor　of　the　two。

The　avenue　is　quite　alive　to…day。　　Old　women　are　picking　up　twigs　and　acorns；　and　pigs　of　all　sizes　doing　their　utmost　to　spare　them　the　latter　part　of　the　trouble；　boys　and　girls　groping　for　beech…nuts　under　yonder　clump；　and　a　group　of　younger　elves　collecting　as　many　dead　leaves　as　they　can　find　to　feed　the　bonfire　which　is　smoking　away　so　briskly　amongst　the　trees；a　sort　of　rehearsal　of　the　grand　bonfire　nine　days　hence；　of　the　loyal　conflagration　of　the　arch…traitor　Guy　Vaux；　which　is　annually　solemnised　in　the　avenue；　accompanied　with　as　much　of　squibbery　and　crackery　as　our　boys　can　beg　or　borrownot　to　say　steal。　　Ben　Kirby　is　a　great　man　on　the　5th　of　November。　　All　the　savings　of　a　month；　the　hoarded　halfpence；　the　new　farthings；　the　very　luck…penny；　go　off　in　fumo　on　that　night。　　For　my　part；　I　like　this　daylight　mockery　better。　　There　is　no　gunpowderodious　gunpowder！　no　noise　but　the　merry　shouts　of　the　small　fry；　so　shrill　and　happy；　and　the　cawing　of　the　rooks；　who　are　wheeling　in　large　circles　overhead；　and　wondering　what　is　going　forward　in　their　territoryseeming　in　their　loud　clamour　to　ask　what　that　light　smoke　may　mean　that　curls　so　prettily　amongst　their　old　oaks；　towering　as　if　to　meet　the　clouds。　There　is　something　very　intelligent　in　the　ways　of　that　black　people　the　rooks；　particularly　in　their　wonder。　　I　suppose　it　results　from　their　numbers　and　their　unity　of　purpose；　a　sort　of　collective　and　corporate　wisdom。　　Yet　geese　congregate　also；　and　geese　never　by　any　chance　look　wise。　　But　then　geese　are　a　domestic　fowl；　we　have　spoiled　them；　and　rooks　are　free　commoners　of　nature；　who　use　the　habitations　we　provide　for　them；　tenant　our　groves　and　our　avenues；　but　never　dream　of　becoming　our　subjects。

What　a　labyrinth　of　a　road　this　is！　　I　do　think　there　are　four　turnings　in　the　short　half…mile　between　the　avenue　and　the　mill。　And　what　a　pity；　as　my　companion　observesnot　that　our　good　and　jolly　miller；　the　very　representative　of　the　old　English　yeomanry；　should　be　so　rich；　but　that　one　consequence　of　his　riches　should　be　the　pulling　down　of　the　prettiest　old　mill　that　ever　looked　at　itself　in　the　Loddon；　with　the　picturesque；　low…browed；　irregular　cottage；　which　stood　with　its　light…pointed　roof；　its　clustered　chimneys；　and　its　ever…open　door；　looking　like　the　real　abode　of　comfort　and　hospitality；　to　build　this　huge；　staring；　frightful；　red…brick　mill；　as　ugly　as　a　manufactory；　and　this　great　square　house；　ugly　and　red　to　match；　just　behind。　　The　old　buildings　always　used　to　remind　me　of　Wollett's　beautiful　engraving　of　a　scene　in　the　Maid　of　the　Mill。　　It　will　be　long　before　any　artist　will　make　a　drawing　of　this。　　Only　think　of　this　redness　in　a　picture！　this　boiled　lobster　of　a　house！　　Falstaff's　description　of　Bardolph's　nose　would　look　pale　in　the　comparison。

Here　is　that　monstrous　machine　of　a　tilted　waggon；　with　its　load　of　flour；　and　its　four　fat　horses。　　I　wonder　whether　our　horse　will　have　the　decency　to　get　out　of　the　way。　　If　he　does　not；　I　am　sure　we　cannot　make　him；　and　that　enormous　ship　upon　wheels；　that　ark　on　dry　land；　would　roll　over　us　like　the　car　of　Juggernaut。　　ReallyOh　no！　there　is　no　danger　now。　　I　should　have　remembered　that　it　is　my　friend　Samuel　Long　who　drives　the　mill　team。　　He　will　take　care　of　us。　'Thank　you；　Samuel！'　　And　Samuel　has　put　us　on　our　way；　steered　us　safely　past　his　waggon；　escorted　us　over　the　bridge　and　now；　having　seen　us　through　our　immediate　difficulties；　has　parted　from　us　with　a　very　civil　bow　and　good…humoured　smile；　as　one　who　is　always　civil　and　good…humoured；　but　with　a　certain　triumphant　masterful　look　in　his　eyes；　which　I　have　noted　in　men；　even　the　best　of　them；　when　a　woman　gets　into　straits　by　attempting　manly　employments。　　He　has　done　us　great　good　though；　and　may　be　allowed　his　little　feeling　of　superiority。　　The　parting　salute　he　bestowed　on　our　steed；　in　the　shape　of　an　astounding　crack　of　his　huge　whip；　has　put　that　refractory　animal　on　his　mettle。　　On　we　go！　past　the　glazier's　pretty　house；　with　its　porch　and　its　filbert　walk；　along　the　narrow　lane　bordered　with　elms；　whose　fallen　leaves　have　made　the　road　one　yellow；　past　that　little　farmhouse　with　the　horse…chestnut　trees　before；　glowing　like　oranges；　past　the　whitewashed　school　on　the　other　side；　gay　with　October　roses；　past　the　park；　and　the　lodge；　and　the　mansion；　where　once　dwelt　the　great　Earl　of　Clarendon；and　now　the　rascal　has　begun　to　discover　that　Samuel　Long　and　his　whip　are　a　mile　off；　and　that　his　mistress　is　driving　him；　and　he　slackens　his　pace　accordingly。　　Perhaps　he　feels　the　beauty　of　the　road　just　here；　and　goes　slowly　to　enjoy　it。　　Very　beautiful　it　certainly　is。　　The　park　paling　forms　the　boundary　on　one　side；　with　fine　clumps　of　oak；　and　deer　in　all　attitudes；　the　water；　tufted　with　alders；　flowing　along　on　the　other。　　Another　turn；　and　the　water　winds　away；　succeeded　by　a　low　hedge；　and　a　sweep　of　green　meadows；　whilst　the　park　and　its　palings　are　replaced　by　a　steep　bank；　on　which　stands　a　small；　quiet；　village　alehouse；　and　higher　up；　embosomed　in　wood；　is　the　little　country　church；　with　its　sloping　churchyard　and　its　low　white　steeple；　peeping　out　from　amongst　magnificent　yew…trees：

　　　　　'Huge　trunks！　and　each　particular　trunk　a　growth　　　　　　　Of　intertwisted　fibres　serpentine　　　　　　　Up…coiling；　and　invet'rately　convolved。'　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WORDSWORTH。

No　village　church　was　ever　more　happily　placed。　　It　is　the　very　image　of　the　peace　and　humbleness　inculcated　within　its　walls。

Ah！　here　is　a　higher　hill　rising　before　us；　almost　like　a　mountain。　How　grandly　the　view　opens　as　we　ascend　over　that　wild　bank；　overgrown　with　fern；　and　heath；　and　gorse；　and　between　those　tall　hollies；　glowing　with　their　coral　berries！　　What　an　expanse！　　But　we　have　little　time　to　gaze　at　present；　for　that　piece　of　perversity；　our　horse；　who　has　walked　over　so　much　level　ground；　has　now；　inspired；　I　presume；　by　a　desire　to　revisit　his　stable；　taken　it　into　that　unaccountable　noddle　of　his　to　trot　up　this；　the　very　steepest　hill　in　the　county。　　Here　we　are　on　the　top；　and　in　five　minutes　we　have　reached　the　lawn　gate；　and　are　in　the　very　midst　of　that　beautiful　piece　of　art　or　nature　（I　do　not　know　to　which　class　it　belongs）；　the　pleasure…ground　of　F。　Hill。　　Never　was　the　'prophetic　eye　of　taste'　exerted　with　more　magical　skill　than　in　these　plantations。　　Thirty　years　ago　this　place　had　no　existence；　it　was　a　mere　undistinguished　tract　of　field　and　meadow　and　common　land；　now　it　is　a　mimic　forest；　delighting　the　eye　with　the　finest　combinations　of　trees　and　shrubs；　the　rarest　effects　of　form　and　foliage；　and　bewildering　the　mind　with　its　green　glades；　and　impervious　recesses；　and　apparently　interminable　extent。　　It　is　the　triumph　of　landscape　gardening；　and　never　more　beautiful　than　in　this　autumn　sunset；　lighting　up　the　ruddy　beech　and　the　spotted　sycamore；　and　gilding　the　shining　fir…cones　that　hang　so　thickly　amongst　the　dark　pines。　　The　robins　are　singing　around　us；　as　if　they　too　felt　the　magic　of　the　hour。　　How　gracefully　the　road　winds　through　the　leafy　labyrinth；　leading　imperceptibly　to　the　more　ornamented　sweep。　　Here　we　are　at　the　door　amidst　geraniums；　and　carnations；　and　jasmines；　still　in　flower。　　Ah！　here　is　a　flower　sweeter　than　all；　a　bird　gayer　than　the　robin；　the　little　bird　that　chirps　to　the　tune　of　'mamma！　mamma！'；　the　bright…faced　fairy；　whose　tiny　feet　come　pattering　along；　making　a　merry　music；　mamma's　own　Frances！　　And　following　her　guidance；　here　we　are　in　the　dear　round　room　time　enough　to　catch　the　last　rays　of　the　sun；　as　they　light　the　noble　landscape　which　lies　like　a　panorama　around　us；　lingering　longest　on　that　long　island　of　old　thorns　and　stunted　oaks；　the　oasis　of　B。　Heath；　and　then　vanishing　in　a　succession　of　gorgeous　clouds。

October　28th。Another　soft　and　brilliant　morning。　　But　the　pleasures　of　to…day　must　be　written　in　shorthand。　　I　have　left　myself　no　room　for　notes　of　admiration。

First　we　drove　about　the　coppice：　　an　extensive　wood　of　oak；　and　elm；　and　beech；　chiefly　the　former；　which　adjoins　the　park…paling　of　F。　Hill；　of　which　demesne；　indeed；　it　forms　one　of　the　most　delightful　parts。　　The　roads　through　the　coppice　are　studiously　wild；　so　that　they　have　the　appearance　of　mere　cart…tracks：　　and　the　manner　in　which　the　ground　is　tumbled　about；　the　steep　declivities；　the　sunny　slopes；　the　sudden　swells　and　falls；　now　a　close　narrow　valley；　then　a　sharp　ascent　to　an　eminence　commanding　an　immense　extent　of　prospect；　have　a　striking　air　of　natural　beauty；　developed　and　heightened　by　the　perfection　of　art。　　All　this；　indeed；　was　familiar　to　me；　the　colouring　only　was　new。　　I　had　been　there　in　early　spring；　when　the　fragrant　palms　were　on　the　willow；　and　the　yellow　tassels　on　the　hazel；　and　every　twig　was　swelling　with　renewed　life；　and　I　had　been　there　again　and　again　in　the　green　leafiness　of　midsummer；　but　never　as　now；　when　the　dark　verdure　of　the　fir…plantations；　hanging　over　the　picturesque　and　unequal　paling；　partly　covered　with　moss　and　ivy；　contrasts　so　remarkably　with　the　shining　orange…leaves　of　the　beech；　already　half　fallen；　the　pale　yellow　of　the　scattering　elm；　the　deeper　and　richer　tints　of　the　oak；　and　the　glossy　stems　of　the　'lady　of　the　woods；'　the　delicate　weeping　birch。　　The　underwood　is　no　less　picturesque。　　The　red…spotted　leaves　and　redder　berries　of　the　old　thorns；　the　scarlet　festoons　of　the　bramble；　the　tall　fern　of　every　hue；　seem　to　vie　with　the　brilliant　mosaic　of　the　ground；　now　covered　with　dead　leaves　and　strewn　with　fir…cones；　now；　where　a　little　glade　intervenes；　gay　with　various　mosses　and　splendid　fungi。　　How　beautiful　is　this　coppice　to…day！　especially　where　the　little　spring；　as　clear　as　crystal；　comes　bubbling　out　from　the　old　'fantastic'　beech　root；　and　trickles　over　the　grass；　bright　and　silent　as　the　dew　in　a　May　morning。　　The　wood…pigeons　（who　are　just　returned　from　their　summer　migration；　and　are　cropping　the　ivy　berries）　add　their　low　cooings；　the　very　note　of　love；　t