58 



White Horse Jottings. 



Minister of Public Works thought that it would be an excellent 

 plan to put up notice-boards to give visitors some information as to 

 the various buildings that were being unearthed. Only it happened 

 unluckily that he could not quite make up his mind to which of the 

 conflicting schools of topography he would give his credence. And 

 so it came to pass that you would one day pass along a road, and 

 read to the right, " This is the Temple of Apollo/' and to the left, 

 s< This is the House of the Slaves of Tiberius." And the next day 

 you would find these boards removed, and other boards put in their 

 place, assuring you with equal dogmatism, " These are the Baths of 

 Livia " : " These are the Caenacula of the Palace of Augustus ! " 



Well now, as regards our Westbury White Horse. Honestly, I 

 do not see why the traditional history of its origin should not be 

 the true one. And my idea is that, wherever a definite tradition 

 exists as to the occurrence of any historical event, such tradition 

 ought to be upheld ; unless, on the one hand, there is some inherent 

 evidence of its impossibility ; or, on the other hand, some fresh facts 

 have come to light establishing, beyond all reasonable doubt, the 

 greater probability of some rival theory. Furthermore, that, in 

 holding the balance between two conflicting theories, tradition should 

 be allowed considerable weight. 



You will remember that King Alfred had come to the throne 

 eight years previously, on the death of his brother Ethelred, and 

 that he had for some time been dogged persistently by an evil fate. 

 He had in the first year of his reign been worsted by the Danes in 

 no less than eight or nine encounters, and had eventually been driven 

 to compound with them by a money payment for their departure 

 from Wessex. From this time he seems to have remained quiet, 

 recruiting his forces, until in 875 he felt himself strong enough to 

 resume hostilities. For a long time fortune was still adverse, and 

 at the beginning of 878 we find the Danes encamped in force at 

 Chippenham, and Alfred reduced to flight. Then came the period 

 of his residence at Athelney, during which he was alternately occu- 

 pied in raising troops and (as a certain time-honoured legend informs 

 us) toasting cakes, and occasionally letting them burn ; until in 

 May, he determined to make another bold stroke for the kingdom, 



