intings, which seems valuable, and to which he had made many
valuable additions.

He told me the park from which Shakspeare stole the buck was not that
which surrounds Charlcote, but belonged to a mansion at some distance
where Sir Thomas Lucy resided at the time of the trespass. The tradition
went that they hid the buck in a barn, part of which was standing a few
years ago, but now totally decayed. This park no longer belongs to the
Lucys. The house bears no marks of decay, but seems the abode of ease
and opulence. There were some fine old books, and I was told of many
more which were not in order. How odd if a folio Shakspeare should be
found amongst them! Our early breakfast did not prevent my taking
advantage of an excellent repast offered by the kindness of Mr. and Mrs.
Lucy, the last a lively Welshwoman. This visit gave me great pleasure;
it really brought Justice Shallow freshly before my eyes; the luces in
his arms "which do become an old coat well"[162] were not more plainly
portrayed in his own armorials in the hall-window than was his person in
my mind's eye. There is a picture shown as that of the old Sir Thomas,
but Mr. Lucy conjectures it represents his son. There were three
descents of the same name of Thomas. The party hath "the eye severe, and
beard of formal cut," which fills up with judicial austerity the
otherwise social physiognomy of the worshipful presence, with his "fair
round belly with fat capon lined."[163]

We resumed our journey. I may mention among the pictures at Charlcote
one called a Roman Knight, which seemed to me very fine; Teniers'
marriage, in which, contrary to the painter's wont, only persons of
distinction are represented, but much in the attitude in which he
delights to present his boors; two hawking pieces by Wouvermans, very
fine specimens, _cum aliis_.

We took our way by Edgehill, and looked over the splendid richness of
the fine prospect from a sort of gazeeboo or modern antique tower, the
place of a Mr. Miller. It is not easy to conceive a richer and more
peaceful scene than that which stretched before us, and [one with which]
strife, or the memory of strife, seems to have nothing to do.

"But man records his own disgrace,
And Edgehill lives in history."

We got on to Buckingham, an ugly though I suppose an ancient town.
Thence to Aylesbury through the wealth of England, in the scene of the
old ballad--

"Neither drunk nor sober, but neighbour to both,