INTRODUCTION. xiii 



pounded in the kitchen : when gold was scarce, and 

 subject to be stored, and the yeoman literally lived ofif 

 his land : when the witch was yet wont to come down, 

 and toss into high air the haycocks, during the makers' 

 mid-day meal : and when there was no bye-road or 

 ruin untenanted by a ghostly inhabitant of some sort. 



The land, meadow and arable, is of fair average 

 quality : some very good, some only middling. Our 

 stock of all sorts has been carefully selected ; a good 

 deal at long figures, and from the best sources. 



But a main element in our enjoyment of country life 

 is the fact, which it is only fair to record, of our being 

 possessed of a band of servants, male and female, who 

 have been for years well tried, not only during sunshine, 

 but several in the hour of darkest affliction. So that it 

 is really with us only to give an order and enjoy its 

 faithful earnest performance. 



So much, then, by way of preface, what follows is 

 simply but actually Diary. 



