

Sf. 'Yohn^s /-/os/^ffal, Canterbti7-y, 



v.— THE DOVER ROAD 



Such rich crowds of historical figures throng tlie long 

 reaches of the Dover Road that one really hardly knows 

 where to make a beginning and where to make an end 

 with them. Indeed, when I think of the record of this 

 seventy-one miles, one long, confused, grotesque pro- 

 cession of all ages, and of all periods of English history, 

 files before me. I see as many sights as Tilburina does 

 in the Critic, and a few more. Kings returning from 

 conquest. One king returning from exile. Many 

 queens on their way to weddings — ('' Unfortunate 

 chiefly, I regret to say," as Mr. Pecksniff might have 

 remarked) — one queen on her way to a wedding, which, 

 fortunately for her, can hardly be said to have completely 

 come off ; grave archbishops tremulously proceeding to 

 installation ; our earliest dramatic genius on his way to 

 London, glory, and a violent death, his " unbowed, bright, 



