NATURE IN ENGLAND 11 



buildings in the south of England. Broken squarely 

 off, the flint shows a fine semi-transparent surface 

 that, in combination with coarser material, has a 

 remarkable crystalline effect. One of the most 

 delicious bits of architectural decoration I saw in 

 England was produced, in the front wall of one of 

 the old buildings attached to the cathedral at Can- 

 terbury, by little squares of these flints in brick 

 panel-work. The cool, pellucid, illuminating efl^ect 

 of the flint was just the proper foil to the warm, 

 glowing, livid brick. 



From Eochester we walked to Gravesend, over 

 Gad's Hill; the day soft and warm, half sunshine, 

 half shadow ; the air full of the songs of skylarks ; 

 a rich, fertile landscape all about us; the waving 

 wheat just in bloom, dashed with scarlet poppies; 

 and presently, on the right, the Thames in view 

 dotted with vessels. Seldom any cattle or grazing 

 herds in Kent ; the ground is too valuable ; it is all 

 given up to wheat, oats, barley, hops, fruit, and vari- 

 ous garden produce. 



A few days later we walked from Feversham to 

 Canterbury, and from the top of Harbledown hill 

 saw the magnificent cathedral suddenly break upon 

 us as it did upon the footsore and worshipful pil- 

 grims centuries ago. At this point, it is said, they 

 knelt down, which seems quite probable, the view 

 is so imposing. The cathedral stands out from and 

 above the city, as if the latter were the foundation 

 upon which it rested. On this walk we passed 

 several of the famous cherry orchards of Kent, the 



