Keftilwortk Castle. 125 



over the land, but the grown men and women, entirely 

 free from the weakness of trying to figure out a family 

 tree of respectable antiquity, will be found unexpectedly 

 small in this old land. Josh Billings settled the matter 

 as far as Americans are concerned, for the malady is even 

 more ridiculous in the New World. " We can't boast 

 old family here," says he, " the country ain't /i?//^ enough, 

 unless a feller has Injun in him." That is what the law- 

 yers call an estoppel, I take it. 



Driving through Leamington we reached Kenilworth 

 Castle for luncheon, to which we had looked forward for 

 several days. Alas ! the keeper informed us that no pic- 

 nic parties are admitted since the grounds have been put 

 into such excellent order by the kind Earl Clarendon 

 (for which thanks, good earl). But he was a man of 

 some discrimination, this custodian of the ruins, and 

 when he saw our four-in-hand and learned who we were 

 — Americans ! Brighton to Inverness ! — he made us an 

 exception to the rule, of which I trust his lordship will 

 approve, if he ever hears. We had one of our happiest 

 luncheons beneath the walls under a large hawthorn tree, 

 which we decided was the very place where the enraged 

 Queen Bess discovered dear Amy Robsart on that mem- 

 orable night. 



A thousand memories cluster round this ruin ; but 

 what should we have known of it had not the great 

 magician touched with his wand this dead mass of stone 

 and lime and conferred immortality upon the actors and 



