302 IS COUNTRY LIFE STILL POSSIBLE? 



in the first, they found employment for the energies of 

 maturity. 



But though this reaction towards the country was 

 partly due to early sentiment, it must be remembered 

 that London life was then infinitely dull for the busy 

 man, and especially so for the " business man." Office- 

 hours were much longer, and holidays very rare and 

 short. Mr. and Mrs. John Gilpin's 



" Twice ten tedious years that we 

 No holiday have seen," 



was the common experience not only of decent trades- 

 folk like the hero of the ride to Edmonton, but of 

 merchants and professional men of standing. We were 

 told by the head of an old City business, who is now, 

 excellent man, enjoying his country house in old English 

 fashion, that the first day on which he so far complied 

 with modern habits as to take a " half-holiday " on 

 Saturday, he made bold to go so far as Hampstead 

 Heath ; and when there, was so overcome by the 

 enormity of the thing he had done, that he went back 

 to his office, though he knew that he should find it shut 

 up, and his younger employes taking their holiday 

 without any scruples of conscience. Again, we still 

 recall the memory of two old partners in a leading firm 

 of solicitors, whose sole form of enjoyment for twenty 

 years was a solemn drive round the Park together in a 

 yellow chariot at half-past six, as a preliminary to 

 dinner, whist, and bed. There was little or no mixing 

 with other men and other interests ; no journalists or 

 artists to chat with ; no mixture of the leisured class 



