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I； of course； am one of the weaklings who； in grumbling at the weather； merely invite passion。 July； this year； is clouded and windy； very cheerless even here in Devon； I fret and shiver and mutter to myself something about southern skies。 Pshaw！ Were I the average man of my years； I should be striding over Haldon； caring not a jot for the heavy sky； finding a score of pensations for the lack of sun。 Can I not have patience？ Do I not know that； some morning； the east will open like a bursting bud into warmth and splendour； and the azure depths above will have only the more solace for my starved anatomy because of this protracted disappointment？
XV
I have been at the seaside……enjoying it； yes； but in what a doddering； senile sort of way！ Is it I who used to drink the strong wind like wine； who ran exultingly along the wet sands and leapt from rock to rock； barefoot； on the slippery seaweed； who breasted the swelling breaker； and shouted with joy as it buried me in gleaming foam？ At the seaside I knew no such thing as bad weather； there were but changes of eager mood and full…blooded life。 Now； if the breeze blow too roughly； if there e a pelting shower； I must look for shelter； and sit with my cloak about me。 It is but a new reminder that I do best to stay at home； travelling only in reminiscence。
At Weymouth I enjoyed a hearty laugh； one of the good things not easy to get after middle age。 There was a notice of steamboats which ply along the coast； steamboats remended to the public as being 〃REPLETE WITH LAVATORIES AND A LADIES' SALOON。〃 Think how many people read this without a chuckle！
XVI
In the last ten years I have seen a good deal of English inns in many parts of the country； and it astonishes me to find how bad they are。 Only once or twice have I chanced upon an inn （or； if you like； hotel） where I enjoyed any sort of fort。 More often than not； even the beds are unsatisfactory……either pretentiously huge and choked with drapery； or hard and thinly accoutred。 Furnishing is uniformly hideous； and there is either no attempt at ornament （the safest thing） or a villainous taste thrusts itself upon one at every turn。 The meals； in general； are coarse and poor in quality； and served with gross slovenliness。
I have often heard it said that the touring cyclist has caused the revival of wayside inns。 It may be so； but the touring cyclist seems to be very easily satisfied。 Unless we are greatly deceived by the old writers； an English inn used to be a delightful resort； abounding in fort； and supplied with the best of food； a place； too； where one was sure of wele at once hearty and courteous。 The inns of to…day； in country towns and villages； are not in that good old sense inns at all； they are merely public…houses。 The landlord's chief interest is the sale of liquor。 Under his roof you may； if you choose； eat and sleep； but what you are expected to do is to drink。 Yet； even for drinking； there is no decent acmodation。 You will find what is called a bar…parlour； a stuffy and dirty room； with crazy chairs； where only the sodden dram…gulper could imagine himself at ease。 Should you wish to write a letter； only the worst pen and the vilest ink is forthing； this； even in the 〃mercial room〃 of many an inn which seems to depend upon the custom of travelling tradesmen。 Indeed； this whole business of innkeeping is incredibly mismanaged。 Most of all does the mon ineptitude or brutality enrage one when it has possession of an old and picturesque house； such as reminds you of the best tradition； a house which might be made as fortable as house can be； a place of rest and mirth。
At a public…house you expect public…house manners； and nothing better will meet you at most of the so…called inns or hotels。 It surprises me to think in how few instances I have found even the pretence of civility。 As a rule； the landlord and landlady are either contemptuously superior or boorishly familiar； the waiters and chambermaids do their work with an indifference which only softens to a condescending interest at the moment of your departure； when； if the tip be thought insufficient； a sneer or a muttered insult speeds you on your way。 One inn I remember； where； having to go in and out two or three times in a morning； I always found the front door blocked by the portly forms of two women； the landlady and the barmaid； who stood there chatting and surveying the street。 ing from within the house； I had to call out a request for passage； it was granted with all deliberation； and with not a syllable of apology。 This was the best 〃hotel〃 in a Sussex market town。
And the food。 Here； beyond doubt； there is grave degeneracy。 It is impossible to suppose that the old travellers by coach were contented with entertainment such as one gets nowadays at the table of a country hotel。 The cooking is wont to be eat and vegetables worse than mediocre。 What！ Shall one ask in vain at an English inn for an honest chop or steak？ Again and again has my appetite been frustrated with an offer of mere sinew and scrag。 At a hotel where the charge for lunch was five shillings； I have been sickened with pulpy potatoes and stringy cabbage。 The very joint……ribs or sirloin； leg or shoulder……is monly a poor； underfed； sapless thing； scorched in an oven； and as for the round of beef； it has as good as disappeared……probably because it asks too much skill in the salting。 Then again one's breakfast bacon； what intolerable stuff； smelling of saltpetre； has been set before me when I paid the price of the best smoked Wiltshire！ It would be mere indulgence of the spirit of grumbling to talk about poisonous tea and washy coffee； every one knows that these drinks cannot be had at public tables； but what if there be real reason for discontent with one's pint of ale？ Often； still； that draught from the local brewery is sound and invigorating； but there are grievous exceptions； and no doubt the tendency is here； as in other things……a falling off； a carelessness； if not a calculating dishonesty。 I foresee the day when Englishmen will have forgotten how to brew beer； when one's only safety will lie in the draught imported from Munich。
XVII
I was taking a meal once at a London restaurant……not one of the great eating…places to which men most resort； but a small establishment on the same model in a quiet neighbourhood……when there entered； and sat down at the next table； a young man of the working class； whose dress betokened holiday。 A glance told me that he felt anything but at ease； his mind misgave him as he looked about the long room and at the table before him； and when a waiter came to offer him the card； he stared blankly in sheepish confusion。 Some strange windfall； no doubt； had emboldened him to enter for the first time such a place as this； and now that he was here； he heartily wished himself out in the street again。 However； aided by the waiter's suggestions； he gave an order for a beef…steak and vegetables。 When the dish was served； the poor fellow simply could not make a start upon it； he was embarrassed by the display of knives and forks； by the arrangement of the dishes； by the sauce bottles and the cruet…stand； above all； no doubt； by the assembly of people not of his class； and the unwonted experience of being waited upon by a man with a long shirt…front。 He grew red； he made the clumsiest and most futile efforts to transport the meat to his plate； food was there before him； but； like a very Tantalus； he was forbidden to enjoy it。 Observing with all discretion； I at length saw him pull out his pocket handkerchief； spread it on the table； and； with a sudden effort； fork the meat off the dish into this receptacle。 The waiter； aware by this time of the customer's difficulty； came up and spoke a word to him。 Abashed into anger； the young man roughly asked what he had to pay。 It ended in the waiter's bringing a newspaper； wherein he helped to wrap up meat and vegetables。 Money was flung down； and the victim of a mistaken ambition hurriedly departed； to satisfy his hunger amid less unfamiliar surroundings。
It was a striking and unpleasant illustration of social differences。 Could such a thing happen in any country but England？ I doubt it。 The sufferer was of decent appearance； and； with ordinary self… mand； might have taken his meal in the restaurant like any one else； quite unnoticed。 But he belonged to a class which； among all classes in the world； is distinguished by native clownishness and by unpliability to novel circumstance。 The English lower ranks had need be marked by certain peculiar virtues to atone for their deficiencies in other respects。
XVIII
It is easy to understand that mon judgment of foreigners regarding the English people。 Go about in England as a stranger； travel by rail； live at hotels； see nothing but the broadly public aspect of things； and the impression left upon you will be one of hard egoism； of gruffness and sullenness； in a word； of everything that contrasts most strongly with the ideal of social and civic life。 And yet； as a matter of fact； no nation possesses in so high a degree the social and civic virtues。 The unsociable Englishman； quotha？ Why； what country in the world can show such multifarious； vigorous and cordial co…operation； in all ranks； but especially； of c