by which you know the parks that date from Elizabeth and James,
diversified the rich extent of verdure; instead of deer, were short-
horned cattle of the finest breed, sheep that would have won the prize
at an agricultural show. Everywhere there was the evidence of
improvement, energy, capital, but capital clearly not employed for the
mere purpose of return. The ornamental was too conspicuously
predominant amidst the lucrative not to say eloquently: "The owner is
willing to make the most of his land, but not the most of his money."

But the old woman's eagerness to earn sixpence had impressed me
unfavorably as to the character of the master. "Here," thought I, "are
all the signs of riches; and yet this poor old woman, living on the very
threshold of opulence, is in want of a sixpence."

These surmises, in the indulgence of which I piqued myself on my
penetration, were strengthened into convictions by the few sentences
which I succeeded at last in eliciting from the old woman.

"Mr. Trevanion must be a rich man?" said I. "Oh, ay, rich eno'!"
grumbled my guide.

"And," said I, surveying the extent of shrubbery or dressed ground
through which our way wound, now emerging into lawns and glades, now
belted by rare garden-trees, now (as every inequality of the ground was
turned to advantage in the landscape) sinking into the dell, now
climbing up the slopes, and now confining the view to some object of
graceful art or enchanting Nature,--"and," said I, "he must employ many
hands here: plenty of work, eh?"

"Ay, ay! I don't say that he don't find work for those who want it. But