English Hospitality, 163 



risfht. So would we all of us. Still there is a wide 

 province for faith. If it does not exactly remove 

 mountains now a days, it at least enables us to tunnel 

 them, which is much the same thing as far as prac- 

 tical results are concerned. 



We can tell you nothing of the hotels of Wolver- 

 hampton, but the fourteen of us can highly recommend 

 certain quarters where it was our rare privilege to be 

 honored guests. Whether the English eat and drink 

 more than the Americans may be a debatable question, 

 but they certainly do so oftener. The young ladies 

 quartered at Newbridge reported this the only bar to 

 perfect happiness ; they never wanted to leave the gar- 

 den for meals nor to remain so long at table. As the 

 Prima Donna reported, they " just sound a gong and 

 spring luncheons and teas and suppers on you." The 

 supper is an English institution, even more sacred than 

 the throne, and destined to outlive it. You cannot 

 escape it, and to tell the truth, after a" little you have no 

 wish to do so. There is much enjoyment at supper, and 

 in Scotland this is the toddy-time, and who would miss 

 that hour of social glee ! 



Mention must be made of the private theatricals at 

 Merridale and of the amateur concert at Clifton House, 

 both highly creditable to the talented performers and 

 productive of great pleasure to the guests. I find a 

 programme of the latter and incorporate it as part of 

 the record : 



