"I have been in this country before; and I have been on the Thames in
those days."

"O," said the old man, eagerly, "so you have been in this country
before. Now really, don't you FIND it (apart from all theory, you
know) much changed for the worse?"

"No, not at all," said I; "I find it much changed for the better."

"Ah," quoth he, "I fear that you have been prejudiced by some theory
or another. However, of course the time when you were here before
must have been so near our own days that the deterioration might not
be very great: as then we were, of course, still living under the
same customs as we are now. I was thinking of earlier days than
that."

"In short," said Clara, "you have THEORIES about the change which has
taken place."

"I have facts as well," said he. "Look here! from this hill you can
see just four little houses, including this one. Well, I know for
certain that in old times, even in the summer, when the leaves were
thickest, you could see from the same place six quite big and fine
houses; and higher up the water, garden joined garden right up to
Windsor; and there were big houses in all the gardens. Ah! England
was an important place in those days."

I was getting nettled, and said: "What you mean is that you de-
cockneyised the place, and sent the damned flunkies packing, and that