hill. It
was the home of the Hopes, its late owner, H. T. Hope, having been the
author of the novel _Anastasius_. He was a zealous patron of art, and
first brought Thorwaldsen into public notice by commissioning him to
execute his "Jason" in marble. The house contains many rare gems of
sculpture, including Canova's "Venus Rising from the Bath," with
paintings by Raphael, Paul Veronese, and others. It was here that
Disraeli wrote the greater part of _Coningsby_. A _dene_ or glade
opening near the house gives the place its name, the grounds being
extensive and displaying gardens and fine woods. The scenery of this
glade is beautiful, while from the terrace at the summit of the hill,
where there is a Doric temple, a magnificent view can be had far away
over the lowlands. Deepdene is attractive both within and without, for
its grand collection of art-treasures vies with Nature in affording
delight to the visitor. The ruins of Betchworth Castle, built four
hundred years ago, are alongside the Mole. "The soft windings of the
silent Mole" around Betchworth furnished a theme for Thomson, while
Milton calls it "the sullen Mole that runneth underneath," and Pope,
"the sullen Mole that hides his diving flood." Spenser has something to
say of the

"----Mole, that like a nousling mole doth make
His way still underground till Thames he overtake."

This peculiarity comes from the river hiding itself under Box Hill,
where, after disappearing for about two miles, it comes bubbling up out
of the ground again. This disappearance of streams in hilly regions is
not unusual. Box Hill, beneath whose slopes the Mole passes, is part of
the great chalk-range rising steeply on the eastern side of the gap
where the river-valley breaks through. Its summit is elevated four
hundred feet, the hill being densely wooded and containing large
plantations of box, whence its name. One of these box-groves covers two
hundred and thirty acres. On the brow of Box Hill, Major Labilliere, a
singular character, was buried in 1800. He lived in Dorking, and,
becoming convinced that the world had been turned topsy-turvy, selected
his grave, and gave instructions that he should be buried head downward,
so that at the final setting right of mundane affairs he would rise
correctly. In the Mole Valley, at the base of Box Hill, at a pretty
little house called the "Fox and Hounds," Keats finished his poem of
_Endymion_, and here Lord Nelson spent his last days in Eng