have been removed, likewise, to be used as building-materials elsewhere;
and this is the Abbey mentioned, I think, by Dr. Watts, concerning which
a Mr. William Taylor had a dream while he was contemplating pulling it
down. He dreamed that a part of it fell upon his head; and, sure enough,
a piece of the wall did come down and crush him. In the nave I saw a
large mass of conglomerated stone that had fallen from the wall between
the nave and cloisters, and thought that perhaps this was the very mass
that killed poor Mr. Taylor.

The ruins are extensive and very interesting; but I have put off
describing them too long, and cannot make a distinct picture of them now.
Moreover, except to a spectator skilled in architecture, all ruined
abbeys are pretty much alike. As we came away, we noticed some women
making baskets at the entrance, and one of them urged us to buy some of
her handiwork; for that she was the gypsy of Netley Abbey, and had lived
among the ruins these thirty years. So I bought one for a shilling. She
was a woman with a prominent nose, and weather-tanned, but not very
picturesque or striking.



TO BLACKHEATH.


On the 6th July, we left the Villa, with our enormous luggage, and took
our departure from Southampton by the noon train. The main street of
Southampton, though it looks pretty fresh and bright, must be really
antique, there being a great many projecting windows, in the old-time
style, and these make the vista of the street very picturesque. I have
no doubt that I missed seeing many things more interesting than the few