SION 63 



short time, and died. It was gathered from him that 

 he had become more and more confused at the lights 

 and the louo- distances he was carried amono- them ; 

 it seemed as if they coukl have no end. The idea 

 that he could never be extricated from such a 

 labyrinth superseded every other. He could not 

 bear the thought. He went into the street, inquired 

 his way westward, and seemed to have got into Hyde 

 Park, and then out again into the Great Western Eoad, 

 walkino- until he could walk no lonoer. He could re- 

 late nothing more that occurred until he was secured. 

 Neither his watch nor money had been taken from him.' 



The country-folks wdio now journey up to town do 

 not behave in this extraordinary fashion on coming 

 to the infinitelv o-reater and more distracting London 

 of to-day. 



At the western end of Brentford, just removed 

 from its muddy streets, is Sion, the Duke of North- 

 umberland's suburban residence. The great square 

 embattled stone house stands in the midst of the 

 park, screened from observation from the road by 

 great clusters of forest trees. Through the ornamental 

 classic stone screen and iron gateway, erected in the 

 well-known 'Adam style' by John Adam about 

 1780, the green sward may be glimpsed; the fresher 

 and more beautiful by contrast with the dusty high- 

 road. Above the arched stone entrance stands the 

 Percy Lion, statant, as heralds would say, with tail 

 extended. 



Sion is well named, for no fairer scene can be 

 imagined than this in the long days of summer, when 

 the lovely o-ardens are at their best and the Thames 



