THE VILLAGE. 209 



over a little tumbling bay, which made one of the 

 beauties of the place. On each side of the lawn 

 were some fine shrubberies, with the exception of 

 an opening, which let in a view of the village 

 church at a small distance, with some magnificent 

 elm-trees at the back of it. 



The view from the house was very extensive 

 over a rich, undulating country, and the whole 

 appearance of the place was that of cheerfulness, 

 comfort and contentment. 



The village itself was small, consisting chiefly of 

 two or three good farmer's houses, with well stored 

 rick-yards, and some cottages standing on a rock 

 of sand-stone, each of them having a small portion 

 of garden ground attached to them. The stream ran 

 close to them, over which there was a rude stone 

 bridge, and between it and the cottages was a spa- 

 cious village green. 



Such was the house and village of Chesterton, 

 and Dr. Hastings had not been long returned to 

 it before his two Athenaeum friends were invited 

 thither to pay him a visit. Eames acquiesced as 

 soon as the long vacation (now lucus a non lucendo) 

 authorized him so to do. Hilary hesitated for 

 seventeen hours. He really did not know what 

 to say to it : he never had been further from London 

 than the Star and Garter on Richmond Hill yes 

 he begged his (own) pardon, he had been once 

 at the Bush at Staines and for him, with his 



