his trunk "containing a few clothes and books to the old town
[Norwich]." He struck out in a south-westerly direction, musing on
his achievements as an author, and finding that in having preserved
his independence and health, he had "abundant cause to be grateful."

Throughout his life Borrow was hypnotised by independence. Like many
other proud natures, he carried his theory of independence to such an
extreme as to become a slave to it and render himself unsociable,
sometimes churlish. It was this virtue carried to excess that drove
Borrow from London. He must tell men what was in his mind, and his
one patron, Sir Richard Phillips, he had mortally offended in this
manner.

Finding that he was unequal to much fatigue, after a few hours'
walking he hailed a passing coach, which took him as far as Amesbury
in Wiltshire. From here he walked to Stonehenge and on to Salisbury,
"inspecting the curiosities of the place," and endeavouring by sleep
and good food to make up the wastage of the last few months. The
weather was fine and his health and spirits rapidly improved as he
tramped on, his "daily journeys varying from twenty to twenty-five
miles." He encountered the mysterious stranger who "touched" against
the evil eye. F. H. Groome asserts, on the authority of W. B. Donne,
that this was in reality William Beckford. Borrow must have met him
at some other time and place, as he had already left Fonthill in
1825. It is, however, interesting to recall that Borrow himself
"touched" against the evil eye. Mr Watts-Dunton has said:


"There was nothing that Borrow strove against with more energy than
the curious impulse, which he seems to have shared with Dr Johnson,