the station to ——­ took quite as long a time as it took me to come down by rail from London, altho we went at a grand trot.  The country was beautiful, stretching off on both sides in broad fields and meadows, darkened in lines by hedges, and in spots by clumps of trees.  The roads were very narrow—­they seemed rather like lanes—­and this effect was increased by the high walls and hedges on either side.  Two carriages had hardly room to pass in some places, with careful driving.  Being in Lord ——­’s well-known carriage, I was quite in state, and the country folk, most of them, bowed to me as I went on; and of course I followed the apostolic injunction, and condescended unto men of low estate.

And, by the way, yesterday afternoon (for a day has passed since I began this letter, and I am now at ——­) Lady ——­ drove me through their park and off to ——­, the dowager Lady ——­’s jointure house, and I had the honor of acknowledging for her all the numerous bobs and ducks she received from the tenants and their children.  So, you see, I shall be in good training when I come into my estate.  When and where I entered the park, either here or at ——­, I could not exactly make out.  There were gates and gates, and the private grounds seemed to shade off gradually into the public.  I know that the park extended far beyond the lodge.  The house at ——­ is very ugly.  It was built by Inigo Jones, and, never handsome, was altogether spoiled by tasteless alterations in the last century.  The ugliness of English country houses built at that time is quite inexpressible.

I ought to have said that the ——­s are in mourning;... and it was very kind of them to invite me.  I was met at the door by a dignified personage in black, who asked me if I would go up to Lady ——­’s room.  She welcomed me warmly, said that Lord ——­ had been called away for a few hours, and offered me tea from a tiny table at her side.  And, by the way, you are usually asked to come at a time which brings you to five-o’clock tea.  This gives you an opportunity to rub off the rough edge of strangeness, before you dress for dinner.  Lady ——­’s own room was large and hung with tapestry, and yet it was cosy and homelike.  The hall is large and square, and the walls are covered with old arms.  The staircase is good, but not so grand as others that I have seen; that at ——­, for instance, where there was an oriel window on the first landing.  This one has no landing; it is of polished oak, but is carpeted.

Lady ——­ is a very attractive and elegant woman, sensible, sensitive, and with a soft, gentle way of speech and action, which is all the more charming, as she is tall.  Her tea was good.  She talked well, and we got on together very satisfactorily.  Presently a nurse brought in her two little daughters.  I thought she must have approved of her savage Yankee guest; for she encouraged them to come to me and sit upon my knees; and all mothers are shy about that.  Soon in popped Lord ——­, and gave