CHAPTER XVII.
STEPHAN LANGTON--ALFRED.
I wrote "Stephan Langton, a Story of the Time of King John," because, 1st, I had little to do in the country; 2dly, I wished to give some special literary lift to Albury and its neighbourhood, more particularly as my story had a geographical connection with Surrey; 3dly, I had the run of Mr.Drummond's library, and consulted there some 300 volumes for my novel: so it was not an idle work though a rapid one; 4thly, I wanted to show that though in a Popish age England's heart, and especially Langton's, was Protestant, quite a precursor of Luther.

As this book is extant, at Lasham's, Guildford, I refer my readers to it.

One curious matter is that my ideal scenes have taken such hold upon my neighbourhood that streams of tourists come constantly through Albury to visit "The Silent Pool" and other sites of scenes invented by me, and have thereby enriched our village inn and the flymen, as well as given to us a new sort of fame.

The book, so cheap in the Guildford edition, was originally published by Hurst & Blackett in 2 vols., illustrated by Cousins: that edition is very scarce now.
The tragedy at the "Silent Pool" and the _Auto-da-fe_ are perhaps the most dramatic scenes in the book,--as the Robin Hood gathering in Combe Valley is the most picturesque.
* * * * * I quote a few particulars from one of my diaries.

"This book tended to clear my brain of sundry fancies and pictures, as only the writing of another book could do _that_.