Impressions of England; or, Sketches of English Scenery and Society

It was four months later than the incidents of my last chapter, when after a tour on the Continent, I found myself safely landed at Dover, in the gray dawn of a winter’s morning...

In Winchester Cathedral I attended Morning Service, on the feast of St. John Baptist. I am sorry to say that here, too, the service is ill-performed; not that there is nothing t...

The Jubilee festival at Westminster Abbey was not allowed to supersede the annual sermon at St. Paul’s; and accordingly, on the 18th of June, I attended the service in the cathe...

My first excursion with my friend V——, was to Worcester and Malvern. In Worcester of course the great attraction is the cathedral, and thither we went immediately upon our arriv...

A cathedral tour now lay between me and Scotland, to which I began to make my way rapidly. All that I had yet seen of architecture, promised to be the mere preface to what was s...

The next day found me again ascending the Malvern hills, on a coach-top, the guard playing the merriest notes, upon his horn, as we rapidly trotted through the town. After anoth...

As soon as I could devote an evening to the purpose, I made my first visit to the House of Commons, going at a very early hour in the afternoon, and sitting through the whole ti...

In the chapel of St. Augustine we kept St. Peter’s Day, and commemorated the benefactors of the college. It was a cheering spectacle to behold around me those missionary youths,...

A visit to Magdalen School, and a subsequent dinner with the scholars, (who are the singers in the chapel), was another of my pleasures, from which I derived fresh convictions o...

After renewing my acquaintance with the hospitable friends at B——, with whom I had passed my Easter, I made an excursion into Derbyshire, with an episodical trip to Nottingham....

About noon, one hazy April day, I found myself approaching the British coast, and was informed by the Captain of our gallant steamer, that in a few minutes we should gain a glim...

I found in the ruins of the abbey at Glastonbury a full reward for my efforts to pay them a visit. The architecture of these ruins is of a character widely different from that o...

Time never need hang heavily on one’s hands in London. A stroll in the Parks is an unfailing resource in fair weather: when it was wet, I used to take refuge under cover of some...

My reader will be ready to forget London for a time; and perhaps also to accompany me on an excursion. I went to Oxford, for a few days, to keep some appointments, and found it...

I had been invited by Dr. Wesley, Dean of the Chapel Royal of St. James’s, to attend service there on Sunday morning. It was the Second Sunday after Easter. The old clock above...

Going up to London, I tarried for a few days at Birmingham, a town not pleasing to my fancy, and yet one which no tourist in England would choose to omit. I found it, indeed, as...

Only nine miles to Stratford-upon-Avon! With what a flush of delighted expectation I climbed the coach, and left the Warwick Arms, in the hope of beholding with my eyes, in less...

From the walls of Chester, one has a very tempting prospect before him in the mountains of Wales. To Wales I now took my way, and first of all alighted at Holywell station, to v...

More than once have I betrayed, in the course of my narrative, a strong affection for the name and memory of Cowper. To his poetry and letters, I was introduced in early childho...

Now came my first day in Oxford—a day depended upon from boyhood, and from which I had expected more quiet and meditative delight than from any other enjoyment whatever. To ever...

In Paternoster-Row I cruised about, and came to Amen Corner quite too soon for satisfaction. I strove also to understand the precise bounds of Little Britain, as I plodded there...

I went into the country on Ascension Day to keep the feast, at an interesting place in the neighbourhood of Harrow. As I was rushing at the last minute to gain a seat in the rai...

The railway between Conway and Bangor runs along the sea-shore, close under the lee of the bold and rocky promontories, that defy the waves, on this imperial coast. Often indeed...

My reverend friend accompanied me to Lichfield, as our occupation for Easter-Tuesday; kindly expressing his desire to have a share in the enthusiasm, with which he justly imagin...

Having frankly confessed my prejudices against the Great Exhibition, I must now as frankly own that I am ashamed of them. The whole thing was indeed strongly marked by the spiri...

It is surprising how deep-rooted in one’s mind is the nonsense literature of the nursery, and how practically useful it often renders itself in the serious occasions of life. Th...

I have spoken of my daily occupations with little or no allusion to that, which proved to me the chief charm of life in London, its delightful society. It would be a poor tribut...

_palladium_ (I hate the word) of England’s holiest, and dearest, and best peculiarities, he would fain have Germanized! I believe, in my heart, he was better than his theories,...

My plan was to fix my head-quarters in London, and to make excursions thence into the various parts of the country which I desired to see. This enabled me to choose my times for...

I had seen Oxford in vacation, and again during term; I had now the privilege of attending its Encænia. The occasion brings many distinguished persons to the University, and the...

The new House of Lords is a superb specimen of modern art; and, in every way, is worthy of the hereditary Senate of the British Empire. Perhaps it is too small for full effect,...

Who knows not by heart the face of the Royal Palace of St. James? That such a house should have been a Palace in the days of Wolsey, seems strange enough to one who has seen at...

My emotions on first entering Westminster Hall, were scarcely inferior to those excited by the Abbey. Of course my first glance was towards the oaken roof, whose noble span, and...

Horton, in Buckinghamshire, is supposed to have supplied to Milton the imagery of the _Allegro_ and _Penseroso_, chiefly because he there composed those delightful poems, in whi...

In early life I had always promised myself a first view of London, either approaching the Tower by water, and taking in the survey of steeples, bridges, and docks, or else desce...

As I am now detailing my “Impressions of England,” I must leave out my Scottish chapters, for Scotland is far too rich in material to be smuggled into the world under any cover...

in the Western World, is a fulfilment of the prophecy, “God shall enlarge Japhet, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem.” But a greater privilege awaited me in the evening of...

The Chapel Royal of St. James—The Duke of Wellington at his prayers—The Sermon—The Duke at the Holy Communion—St. Paul’s Cathedral—How it compares with St. Peter’s—Effect of the...

The Queen’s Progress to the Crystal-palace—The mob in the Park—The Queen’s return—Her appearance at Buckingham Palace—Americans at a discount—The interior view of the Great Exhi...

House of Commons—Message from the Lords—D’Israeli—Lord John—The Speaker—The Abbey and Whitehall at dead of night—The Papal Aggression—The course of the Whigs with the Papists—Th...

St. Augustine’s, Canterbury—Queen Bertha’s Church—The Patriarchal Cathedral—Becket—The Black Prince—Archbishop Howley—The Dane John—Drive to Borne—The Judicious Hooker—One of th...

Bury Street, St. James—The Lungs of London—Riding in Rotten-Row—First view of the Crystal-palace—The venerable S. P. G.—The Bishop of Oxford—First glimpse of Oxford—Cuddesdon Pa...

Return from the Continent—Despatches—England and Southern Europe—The Sepulchre of Andrewes—Westminster by Candlelight—St. Bartholomew’s, Moor-lane—The Anglican Reformers—Superfi...

Historic Scenes in Westminster Hall—The Scene it presents in our days—The New Palace and Victoria Tower—The silent Highway—Lambeth Palace—Chelsea, and Martin the painter—Whiteha...

The Cries of London—Covent Garden Market—The Savoy—St. Clement Danes and Dr. Johnson—Anecdote of Johnson at Temple-bar—Lincoln’s Inn—Heralds’ College—The Times—The Old Bailey—A...

Jubilee-service at the Cathedral—A Lord Mayor’s Feast—Lord Glenelg—Eton College—St. George’s Chapel and Windsor Castle—A Dame’s House—A swim in the Thames—Hampton Court—Pictures...

Ely Cathedral—Its beautiful restorations—Peterborough—The graves of two Queens—A King of Spades—Lincoln and Bishop Grostete—The Cathedral—Jews’ House—The City of Constantine—Yor...

Return from Scotland—Gretna Green—Carlisle—The Lakes—Windermere—Dr. Arnold’s enthusiasm—An American Sunday and an English one—Grassmere—A Poet’s Widow—A walk to Keswick—Cockney...

Ramblings in London—All-hallows, Barking—First view of the Tower—The Sovereigns on horseback—Historical relics—The Armada and its cargo—The block and the axe—The jewel-room—Laud...

Exeter College, Oxford—A Sunday at Oxford—Common-room of Oriel—Visit to Nuneham Courtenay—Parish-school—Society in Oxford—Life of an Oxonian Fellow—A visit to Dr. Routh—Relics o...

Gypsies—The Man of Ross—Market day—Monmouth—Tintern Abbey in a storm—A Vicar’s children—The Wind-cliff—Tintern in sunshine—The Severn—Clifton, Bristol and St. Mary Redcliffe—Cha...

The Encænia at Oxford—The uproar—Bedford and John Bunyan—Fourth of July—The gates of Caius—Comparison of the two Universities—Chancellor Albert—Old Hobson—The Isthmus of Sues—Mi...

Scene at a London Railway Station—A drive to Pall-Mall—Whitehall and Hungerford Bridge—The new Bishop of Lincoln—The S. P. G. House—Nell Gwynne—Westminster Abbey—The Jerusalem C...

Charms of Society in London—The London Season—Breakfast-parties—Dining out—Children at the Dessert—Evening-parties—Historical Costumes—A literary party at Lady Talfourd’s—Influe...

Iffley Church—Radley, and a walk through Bagley Wood—Making a Doctor of Divinity—A drive through the country—Parish-stocks—Incidents of the journey—Old villages—Descent into the...

Winchester Cathedral—Wykeham and Wayneflete—Cardinal Beaufort—Bishop Fox—Stephen Gardiner—The Altar—Reliquary chests—Izaak Walton—An American Vicar—His ingenuities—Salisbury Pla...

Aspect of a Cathedral-town—Lichfield Cathedral, its injuries and restorations—St. Chad, and Stowe-Church—Lord Brooke, his sacrilege and retribution—Dr. Johnson and his penance—T...

The Old Palace of St. James—Preparations for going to Court—The procession of carriages—The Presentation—The Queen and Prince Albert—A drawing-room—The Ladies—Decorations of the...

A pilgrimage to Olney—Cowper’s services to Literature—Anti-Snobbery—Cowper’s pedigree—A lace-maker—Olney bridge—The Summer-house—Weston-Underwood—The Wilderness—Cowper’s Autogra...

Exhibitions of Art—Westminster Bridge—Lambeth—A wherry on the River—Temple Gardens and Church—Twelfth-Night—To the ball on the dome of St. Paul’s—Descent to the Crypts—Nelson’s...

Worcester Cathedral—Coaching to Malvern—Great and Little Malvern—Tewksbury—Wars of the Roses—Bredon—Sunday at Kemerton—May’s Hill—The Cuckoo—Gloucester—The Church at Highnam—Arc...

A visit to Harrow Weald—Ascension Day—Oak-leaves in honor of the Restoration—Cricket—Evening Service, and a remarkable Sermon—Coventry—Peeping Tom and Lady Godiva—Kenilworth—The...

Stratford-upon-Avon—The Red-Horse Inn—Geoffrey Crayon—The Birth-place of Shakspeare—New-Place—Walk to Shottery—The Churchyard—The Church and Tomb—The Epitaph of Shakspeare’s dau...

St. Winifred’s Well—The Vale of Clwyd—Rhuddlan—St. Asaph—A Welsh Inn—Welsh hospitality—The Welsh service in a rural Church—The Holy Clerk of Llanerch—Mrs. Hemans—St. Mary’s Well...

Oxford—William of Wykeham—New College and its Gardens—Magdalen—Addison’s Walk—Scene in the Convocation-house—May-morning hymn on Magdalen Tower—Scenery of the surrounding countr...

Glastonbury—King Arthur’s coffin—Restorations at Wells—Ordination at Bradfield—Solemnities of the Jubilee—Willis’s Rooms—A Centenarian—Speeches at St. Martin’s Hall—The Archbish...

Holyhead—Incidents of the Voyage—Oxford stage-coach and Stratford guide-post—Easter-bells and Easter solemnities—An Elizabethan Mansion—A Roger-de-Coverley picture in real life—...

Bangor—Menai Straits, and a Trip to Caernarvon—Llanberis and Dolbardan—Caernarvon Castle—The Eagle tower—Nant Ffrancon—Capel Curig—Corwen—Valle Crucis—Llangollen—Miss Ponsonby a...