George Ticknor, Life, letters and journals of George Ticknor
George Hillard, Ed.

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At half past 2 I drove down to the Deanery of St. Paul's, where the Heads came soon afterwards, and we all went at three, with the Dean and Mrs. Milman, and attended afternoon service in the choir. . . . . After we came out of the choir, we walked about the church a little, then went to the Deanery, then walked on the adjacent bridge, which gives a fine view of the river,—all alive with steamboats, filled for Sunday excursions,—and a still finer view of St. Paul's, which certainly-even after St. Peter's seen—is a grand and imposing fabric; and then, finally, we had a good Sunday family dinner of roast beef, and a good talk, which lasted until nearly eleven. It was all very simple, easy, and comfortable. . . . . But it was very hot in the city; indeed, the weather has excited much remark in this particular, few persons remembering so long-continued a spell. . . . .

I found the Park much larger than I expected; it is, indeed, one of the grandest I have seen, full of groves of old oaks, and a plenty of deer, and all so near London,—only seventeen miles. Windsor is in full view from it, and makes a grand show . . .. The house is large, but not very good-looking outside. Inside, however, it is fine, and filled with fine works of art, ancient and recent; among the last, four bas-reliefs by Thorwaldsen, and one of his statues, which gave me great pleasure. Lady Mary took me over the whole, including her own parlor and bedroom, which are very luxurious and tasteful; but the rooms that I preferred were the dining-room, and one adjacent to it, in which was a most graceful fountain, that in the heat to-day was particularly attractive. I went, however, chiefly to see a few Spanish books, particularly a copy of Lope de Vega's plays, the most complete and the best preserved in the world. With these I occupied myself an hour or two, the three charming little girls helping me to bring the books, and put them up again in the most frolicsome and agreeable manner.

Of course I was taken to see the old Manor House, the scene of Gray's ‘Long Story,’ that begins, ‘In Briton's Isle, and Arthur's days.’ It is well cared for, and is an excellent specimen of the Elizabethan style, as it ought to be, since Hatton lived there. The church, too, and, above all, the churchyard, which gave the world the undying Elegy, and where rest the remains of Gray's mother and aunt, who lived at Stoke Pogis after the death of his father. They are most