WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 95 



by boyish hands some far back in the eighteenth 

 century. The history of this little kingdom, with its 

 dynasties of tutors and masters, its succeeding genera- 

 tions of joyous youth, might be gathered from these 

 writings on the walls sketches in burned stick or 

 charcoal of extinct monarchs of the desk ; rude 

 doggerel verses ; curious jingles of Latin and English 

 words of which every great school has its specimens ; 

 dates of day and month when doubtless some daring 

 expedition was carried out ; and here and there 

 (originally hidden behind furniture, we may suppose) 

 bitter words of hatred against the injustice of ruling 

 authorities arbitrary ushers and cruel masters. 



The casements, broken and blown in, have permitted 

 all the winds of heaven to wreak their will ; and the 

 storms sweeping over from the adjacent downs beat as 

 they choose upon the floor. Within an upper window 

 now obviously enough a wind-door two swallows' 

 nests have been built against the wall close to the ceil- 

 ing, and their pleasant twitter greets you as you enter ; 

 and so does the whistling of the starlings on the roof. 

 But without there, below, the ring of the bricklayer's 

 trowel as he chips a brick has already given them notice 

 to quit. 



