works in the whole compass of English literature. He describes
himself as "borne at _Wotton_, among the woods," situate about
four miles from Dorking, in a fine valley leading to Leith Hill.
In book iii. chap. 7, of his _Sylva_, he says, "To give an
instance of what store of woods and timber of prodigious size
were grown in our little county of Surrey, my own grandfather
had standing at Wotton, and about that estate, timber that now
were worth £100,000. Since of what was left my father (who was
a great preserver of wood) there has been £30,000. worth of
limber fallen by the axe, and the fury of the hurricane in 1703,
by which upwards of 1,000 trees were blown down. Now, no more
Wotton! stript and naked, and ashamed almost to own its name."
The Wotton woods are still flourishing, and within the last
fourteen years we have passed many delightful days beneath their
shade. Many a time and often in our rambles have we met the
venerated Sir Samuel Romilly in one of the most beautiful ridges
of the park, called the _Deer-leap_, wooing Nature in her
delightful solitudes of wood and glade. He resided at Leith
Hill, and the distance thence to Wotton is but a short ride.

* * * * *


KITCHINERIANA.

(_From the Housekeeper's Oracle, by the late Dr. Kitchiner_.)


The Greek commanders at the siege of Troy, and who were likewise all
royal sovereigns, never presumed to set before their guests any food