not so, as the Cat and Fiddle Inn not far from Buxton, which stands at an altitude of 1700 feet, is entitled to this distinction.

Ullswater is as beautiful as Windermere and more ruggedly picturesque than Grasmere; but it lacks their compelling charm, to our thinking, being less thickly set about with associations of the poets that we love. And yet we do not forget that it was here, at Gowbarrow Park on Ullswater's shore, that Wordsworth's daffodils danced in the spring sunshine. If we were in daffodil season, I am quite sure that we should have seen the gay blossoms "dancing in the breeze," as we strolled through the Park this afternoon, just as they appeared to Dorothy Wordsworth's sympathetic eye when she beheld them, on a spring morning, tossing and reeling and dancing, seeming "as if they verily laughed with the wind that blew over the lake, they looked so gay, ever glancing, ever changing."

We shall quit these lovely valleys with regret, to journey into the busy world again, feeling that we are leaving behind us a sacred spot, a shrine shut in by rugged hills, mirrored in clear lakes, consecrated by the lives and sacrifices, the high thoughts and aspirations, and the noble and gracious fulfilments of some of the wisest and best of the children of men.

VII

ROMAN ENGLAND

CHESTER, August 1st.

WHEN we reached Liverpool this morning we found the whole city en fête, with flags flying from all the buildings. As the papers had announced, the King and Queen are here to lay the cornerstone of the new cathedral, which is to be the largest in all England. It is to cover an area of ninety thousand square feet. Is it not difficult to stretch one's mind to take in the dimensions of a building so vast in length and breadth, with a nave one hundred and sixteen feet high?

The streets were gay with decorations of all kinds,-long festoons of pink, white, and red roses, the arms and crown on red plush in gold embroidery, and more flags, streamers, and bunting than are to be seen even at our own celebrations. We were pleased to see some Stars and Stripes flying among the English flags. There were a number of elaborate designs, wreaths, and transparencies bearing words of

welcome to the King and Queen, most frequent among them being such inscriptions as: "God Bless our King and Queen," "God Bless King Edward, the Peacemaker."

The English people whom we meet say that King Edward's reputation as a peacemaker is well deserved. It is interesting and significant that the rulers of the two great English-speaking nations, our President and England's King, should stand forth so prominently as aiders and abettors of the world's peace.

Unlike Mr. Howells, royalty seems "to come our way." We saw the King in London and here he is again, his face meeting us like that of an old friend, and a very pleasant, genial face it is! He could not have been on his way to Germany, as we were told.

With no idea of being able to see anything of the ceremonies at the cathedral grounds, we secured a carriage simply for the pleasure of driving through the gayly-decorated city and viewing the immense concourse of people. As we were stopping in one of the smaller streets, waiting for the crowd to disperse, we heard sounds of cheering, then came the outriders, and then the King and Queen. As they were in a high-seated open carriage, we had a good view of them, looking for all the world as I

have always thought of Kings and Queens in my childhood, driving in a grand coach amid gala scenes, all as it should have been except for the crowns. We wished so much for Christine and Lisa, but then they would have been sadly disappointed about the crowns. The King was in his red British uniform with a long white feather in his military cap, and saluted the enthusiastic populace in soldier fashion as he passed. The Queen is just like her pictures, quite lovely and astonishingly young looking, as we saw her from our coign of vantage. They tell us that her complexion owes much to art, but no art that has yet been discovered could give her her handsome eyes, which constitute her greatest and most lasting beauty. But, after all, it is not the Queen's beauty as much as a certain indescribable combination of dignity and graciousness that makes her so attractive. Walter lost his heart to her at once, as all the men do, I fancy, she is so exquisitely and charmingly feminine. It sometimes seems as if this quality were becoming more rare as the world moves on; and laugh at us, as men have done for centuries, because of certain distinctly feminine attributes, they like us all the better for them, even enjoying, in a way, our fondness for pretty nothings,

chiffons, and the like. The Queen is purely. feminine in her love for chiffons, but she never leads or follows in any extreme of fashion, especially in hats. Instead of the immense, exaggerated structures they are beginning to wear over here, she had on a quite simple little toque of a delicate mauve, the same shade as her gown, all in exquisite taste.

Some English ladies whom we met in the drawing-room at Blossom's this evening were talking of the King and Queen as they love to do, with a pleasant underlying sense of ownership.

In speaking of the Queen's beauty and youthful appearance, despite the sorrows and trials of her life, of which latter they made no secret, they said that although lovely she was not a particularly clever woman and rather lacking in a sense of humor, while King Edward is immensely clever and keenly alive to the humorous side of life. The Princess Charles of Denmark is clever, they agreed, like her father, who is devoted to her as he is fond of clever people, but, they added, shaking their wise heads, "the Queen is a good woman and has the heart of the whole English people."

We appreciated our privileges in being admitted to these confidences; and hearing the