TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

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—A Fancy Chapel—An old fashioned Vicarage.

CHAPTER II.

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—The Three-Crowns Inn—Evening Service at the Cathedral—A Midland-county custom.

CHAPTER III.

Brummagem Bishops—American oak in King Edward’s School—New-England in Deritend—Oscott—Italian Catholicity—Pugin and the Papists—The Oratory and Mr. Newman—An Oratorian Sermon—Romish Methodism.

CHAPTER IV.

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 Chamber—Lord John Thynne—The Coronation Vestments.

CHAPTER V.

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—Whitehall Palace and Garden—Oratorio at Chelsea—Sara Coleridge and other members of the poet’s family.

CHAPTER VI.

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 Palace—A Sermon at St. Ebbe’s—A country Church—Bishop Lowth’s Epitaph on his daughter.

CHAPTER VII.

Forest-hill—A walk in the country—Miltonian scenery—Mary Powell’s birth-place—A dame’s School—Milton’s Well—A neat-handed Phillis—Elucidations on the spot—Sir William Jones.

CHAPTER VIII.

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 country—Morning-bells and a walk in the College-grounds.

CHAPTER IX.

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 Exhibition—A high-priced day and a low-priced day—The end of the bubble—Jack in the Green.

CHAPTER X.

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 Choral Service—Dean Milman—St. Barnabas’, Pimlico, and its Mediævalisms—Fashion at St. George’s—The Bishop of Nova-Scotia.

CHAPTER XI.

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 and Strafford—Prisoners’ inscriptions—The graves in the Tower-Chapel—The Traitors’ gate.

CHAPTER XII.

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—The Irish Brigade—Lord John and D’Israeli in a personal debate—Feebleness of Ministerial measures.

CHAPTER XIII.

Decorations of the House of Lords—Their wholesome moral—The future of the new Chamber—The Aristocracy—Manners in Parliament—The Lord Chancellor Truro—The London Police—Their impartiality.

CHAPTER XIV.

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 Tomb—The Thames Tunnel—Shipping.

CHAPTER XV.

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 Trial for Murder—A Visit to the Dead—Milton’s Grave—Grub-street—Chaucer’s Tabard.

CHAPTER XVI.

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—Influence of high refinement on individual character—Pronunciation—A breakfast at Samuel Rogers’.

CHAPTER XVII.

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 of Laud—Oxford Martyrs—Libraries and Museum—Chapel of Merton—A boat-race.

CHAPTER XVIII.

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 Vale of Gloucester—A picture in real scenery.

CHAPTER XIX.

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—Architectural beauty of Gloucester Cathedral—Effect in twilight.

CHAPTER XX.

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 royal apartments—Portraits in the Corridor—Reflections.

CHAPTER XXI.

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 ruins—Guy’s Cliff—Piers Gaveson—Warwick Castle.

CHAPTER XXII.

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 daughter—Influence of the Church on the mind of Shakspeare.

CHAPTER XXIII.

Nottingham—Lord Byron’s reputation—The Castle—Derby—The Wye—Haddon Hall—Gallery—Chapel—Chatsworth—Matlock-Bath—Shrewsbury—A Sedan-chair—Welsh Emigrants—Chester—Eaton-Hall.

CHAPTER XXIV.

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—Conway Castle.

CHAPTER XXV.

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 and Lady Eleanor Butler.

CHAPTER XXVI.

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—Chatterton—Bristol Cathedral—Mrs. Mason’s tomb—A dissenting minister—His charity.

CHAPTER XXVII.

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 Archbishop in his Study—The Jubilee Sermons—Samuel Warren.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

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 and Cartoons—Hursley Church, and the Poet Keble—Winchester School—St. Cross Hospital—Relics.

CHAPTER XXIX.

Winchester Cathedral—Wykeham and Wayneflete—Cardinal Beaufort—Bishop Fox—Stephen Gardiner—The Altar—Reliquary chests—Izaak Walton—An American Vicar—His ingenuities—Salisbury Plain and Stonehenge—George Herbert—Netley Abbey—The Isle of Wight—Portsmouth—Chichester—Brighton.

CHAPTER XXX.

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 the Squirearchy—Rochester—Westminster Archives—Chapel of Henry VII.—Grave of Addison—British Museum—Richmond Hill—Thomson’s grave—Pope’s skull.

CHAPTER XXXI.

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—Milton’s Mulberry—The small Colleges—The Fitzwilliam—King’s College—Trinity.

CHAPTER XXXII.

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—York Minster—Ripon—Fountains’ Abbey—Durham—The Bishop of Exeter—The University—Newcastle—Amen Corner.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

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 rhetoric—Derwentwater—A Poet’s Sepulchre—Penrith—The Countess’ Pillar—Dotheboys Hall—Rokeby—Kirkstall Abbey.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

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 Autograph and Adieu—The Greek Slave—White-bait at Greenwich—The Prime Meridian—The pensioners—Good-night.

CHAPTER XXXV.

Return from the Continent—Despatches—England and Southern Europe—The Sepulchre of Andrewes—Westminster by Candlelight—St. Bartholomew’s, Moor-lane—The Anglican Reformers—Superficial views of travellers—Dissent in England—Tithes—The late Recusancy—Newman and the Dublin Review—The English Bible—Conclusion.

IMPRESSIONS OF ENGLAND.