234 LETTERS TO MARCO xxxiv 



yellowish speckled bellies, as well as exceed- 

 ingly fine eyes. 



There is a very interesting old church at 

 North Stoke, about two miles from here, on 

 the Oxfordshire side of the river, which has 

 hitherto entirely escaped the hands of the 

 restorer. It is chiefly of fourteenth century 

 work, the chancel, arch, and windows being 

 particularly beautiful and perfect ; but what 

 I like about it is the good example it 

 presents of an old-fashioned English country 

 church of the last century. Here we still 

 have a number of old high deal pews ; 

 quadrangular family ones of the time of 

 Queen Anne ; a pulpit of a rather earlier 

 period, of oak, with the delicious bloom of 

 age on its surface ; massive beams and ties 

 in the roof, probably of oak, but whitewashed 

 over, as are also the walls, as a matter of 

 course. The floor is a delightful mixture of 

 red tiles and bricks with flat tombstone slabs 

 here and there. The Royal Arms are still 

 in their place over the chancel arch, and the 



