July 10. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
253 
from thence to Eowsley, from whence omnibus every 
hour or oftener to Chatsworth. If economy would prompt 
you to wait for the Government train in the morning, 
you will not gain much, as you can go no farther than 
Rugby, and you will either have to w&it a very long 
time; or take a very dear second-class to Derby, the 
dearest ever I paid, with the exception of a ride from 
Cambridge to Hitcbin, something like twenty-seven 
miles, and the fare six shillings and sixpence. If you 
could leave by a train early enough to get to Chats¬ 
worth, or Eowsley, the previous evening, and just 
getting dark, it would be found very delightful, as the 
scenery, and the lights in the cottages, perched many of 
them in most romantic situations all along the Matlock 
district, would form a line contrast to the same scenery 
on the following day when basking in sunshine. 
Farther on in the season, it would be very difficult to 
get a bed at Rowsley, or even at Chatsworth, or, pro¬ 
perly speaking, the “ Chatsworth Arms,” in the model 
village of Edensor, which may be termed the park- l 
village, every house being neat, trim, and beautiful, and 
the varieties of style as numerous almost as the individual 
houses. 1 arrived late at Chatsworth, on my single visit, 
and after being disappointed in sleeping at Rowsley, got 
every convenience, fortunately, at the hotel ; everything 
good, and charges moderate. This enabled me and my 
companion to get into the kitchen-garden a little past 
six in the morning. On getting back to Derby, it would 
bo advisable, if possible, by means of the North Stafford¬ 
shire, to get as far as Alton, or Stoke, that night. If to j 
Alton, you might catch a glimpse of the enchanted i 
valley of Alton Towers, either that night or early next 1 
morning, thence back and round by Uttoxeter, and on to 
Stoke, and thence to Trentham. There is a nice 
railway hotel at Stoke. By consulting Bradshaw, 
wasting no time, these four places may be managed in 
two-and-a-quarter or two-and-a-half days. By taking the ' 
first train in the morning from London both could be 
managed well, and the Earl of Harrington’s (open only 
on Fridays), but London must be reached rather late. | 
As contrasts to each other, as exhibiting distinctive and 
great merits, and furnishing the finest specimens of 
great horticultural skill, that skill, at Trentham especially, 
triumphing over local difficulties in climate and position, 
and leaving not a hole nor corner where careful super- 1 
vision and care are not manifest; these two places ought, 
at least, to be once seen by every gardener professing a ; 
spice of emulation and honourable rivalry, and who can 
afford the expense; and need I add, that ladies and 
gentlemen, who are satisfied with the zeal and attention 
to their wishes and wants which their gardeners exhibit, 
would not by any means damp that energy for the 
future, by just slipping the requisite number of guineas 
into the honest fellow’s hand, and telling him he was 
quite welcome to go to Chatsworth and Trenthan at his 
j own convenience. These places, I believe, are open 
every day, and, of course, gardeners must proclaim 
J their cloth and calling, or they will receive the meagre 
attention and time bestowed on other visitors, as, among 
such numbers as go every day, it is impossible to give 
much attention to all. 
If there should be time, in passing from Rugby to 
Durley, near Kegworth Station there is a new place 
belonging to — Strutt, Esq., and well worth visiting, 
chiefly for two things:—The rapidity with which Mr. 
j Mackie, the very intelligent gardener, has clothed the 
place, giving it already the appearance of age; and the 
splendid vinery, which has been noticed in these pages, 
and_other contemporary works. 
There are other beautiful places belonging to the 
Messrs. Strutt, and other ladies and gentlemen, near 
Derby; and if there should be time, there need be no 
lack of information, as gardeners are extremely obliging 
in that way. 
Though I have seen a good many places, I cannot 
speak on that subject with the authority of some of my 
coadjutors. If my impressions should be of any use, 
after seeing good places in the country, and the finest 
round Loudon, then I must own, that all things con¬ 
sidered, those that come oftenest before my mind’s eye, 
standing out in bold relief, when in a half dreary mood 
there is time to muse on the recollections of the past, 
these places are Trentham, Chatsworth, and Nunliam. 
I do not know whether the above article will be suffi¬ 
ciently interesting. I certainly should not have written 
it if the correspondent had not given the assurance that 
such an attempt was much desired by many besides 
himself. If such a guide is wanted, there will be no 
lack of information from other sources. 
I had some notes of some old places round the Horti¬ 
cultural Society, but as a similar article has appeared, 
no harm will be done by delaying, or setting them aside. 
Many places may be seen in a short time, but not 
without toil, and labour, and expense. 
Two things more I would submit, especially for my 
younger brethren. First, when you visit places always 
go clean and respectable. In other words, put the best 
foot foremost, and the best coat on your back. The 
latter will be an “ open sesame ;” when, otherwise, you 
might have a difficulty at the entrance gates. The world 
will not respect the man who does not respect himself. 
The second is, in travelling, as a rule, when you want 
refreshment, or a sleeping room, go to a respectable 
house; and whether it be professionally right or not, 
ask for the commercial room. There all charges are 
uniform and moderate, and the provisions are generally 
excellent. I recollect when, even more green than now, 
I and my comrades used to pass a fine house, because 
we were too humble to enter such a mansion, and got 
pretty well victimised in some little place that had just a 
sign dangling over the door. The more respectable the 
standing of the house, the better and cheaper will be the 
accommodation. R. Fish. 
I 
The Wonderful Sixpence. —On a lovely morning 
in the month of May, as I was travelling in the neigh¬ 
bourhood of a small town in the county of Salop, I was 
overtaken by a young man of rather grave counte¬ 
nance, and probably about twenty-five years of age. 
Happening to be both travelling the same way, we soon- 
fell into conversation about the state of trade, money 
matters, and other subjects. After we had conversed 
together a short time on these, he broke out with the 
following words:—“ Well, Sir, I will relate to you an 
anecdote of a boy who was very well known to my 
father, to show you what can be done with a very small 
sum of money. The parents of this boy were so poor, 
that they could not afford to take more than two scanty 
meals each a-day. The father, in fact, was not able to 
earn a livelihood for his family, in consequence of a 
paralytic stroke, with which he was attacked when the 
subject of this story was not more than nine years old, 
so that what little they had to depend upon came wholly 
from the parish. When the boy was about eleven years 
of age, a neighbouring farmer one day employed him to 
assist in driving a few pigs to market, for which he gave 
him sixpence. The boy on receiving this was so over¬ 
joyed that he did not at first know what to do with it; 
but after considering a short time on the subject, he at 
last resolved to give it to his parents. When he got 
home, however, they refused it, saying that, as he had 
done the work, he had the greatest right to the money. 
A few days after this, while he was in company with 
some other boys about his own age, one of them hap¬ 
pened to commence talking about rabbits, and told his 
companions what he had gained by them in the course 
of last year. This account produced such an effect on 
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