great writer left it at his death, and the chair and desk which he used
still stand in their accustomed places. The most curious feature of the
library is the rows of dummy books that occupy some of the shelves, and
even the doors are lined with these sham leather backs glued to boards,
a whim of Dickens carefully respected by the present owner. We were also
accorded a view of the large dining room where Dickens was seized with
the attack which resulted in his sudden and unexpected death. After a
glimpse of other parts of the house and garden surrounding it, the maid
conducted us through an underground passage leading beneath the road, to
the plot of shrubbery which lay opposite the mansion. In this secluded
thicket, Dickens had built a little house, to which in the summer time
he was often accustomed to retire when writing. It was an ideal English
June day, and everything about the place showed to the best possible
advantage. We all agreed that Gad's Hill alone would be well worth a
trip from London. The country around is surpassingly beautiful and it is
said that Dickens liked nothing better than to show his friends about
the vicinity. He thought the seven miles between Rochester and Maidstone
the most charming walk in all England. He delighted in taking trips with
his friends to the castles and cathedrals and he immensely enjoyed
picnics and luncheons in the cherry orchards and gardens.

A very interesting old city is Rochester, with its Eleventh Century
cathedral and massive castle standing on the banks of the river. Little
of the latter remains save the square tower of the Norman keep, one of
the largest and most imposing we saw in England. The interior had been
totally destroyed by fire hundreds of years ago, but the towering walls
of enormous thickness still stand firm. Its antiquity is attested by the
fact that it sustained a siege by William Rufus, the son of the
Conqueror. The cathedral is not one of the most impressive of the great
churches. It was largely rebuilt in the Twelfth Century, the money being