No other country will ever have this charm,
nor the charm of lovely verdure, which almost makes up for the absence of
sunshine. Without the constant rain and shadow which strikes us as so
dismal, these lawns would be as brown as an autumn leaf. I have not,
thus far, found any such magnificent trees as I expected. Mr. B. told me
that three oaks, standing in a row on his lawn, were the largest in the
county. They were very good trees, to be sure, and perhaps four feet in
diameter near the ground, but with no very noble spread of foliage. In
Concord there are, if not oaks, yet certainly elms, a great deal more
stately and beautiful. But, on the whole, this lawn, and the old Hall in
the midst of it, went a good way towards realizing some of my fancies of
English life.
By and by a footman, looking very quaint and queer in his livery coat,
drab breeches, and white stockings, came to invite me to the table, where
I found Mr. B. and his sisters and guests sitting at the fruit and wine.
There were port, sherry, madeira, and one bottle of claret, all very
good; but they take here much heavier wines than we drink now in America.
After a tolerably long session we went to the tea-room, where I drank
some coffee, and at about the edge of dusk the carriage drew up to the
door to take us home. Mr. B. and his sisters have shown us genuine
kindness, and they gave us a hearty invitation to come and ramble over
the house whenever we pleased, during their absence in Scotland.
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