ed the sheep on the Downs, before our
beautiful land was crossed with iron roads; while news, even from the
field of Waterloo, had to travel slowly. And, after all, written history
is but words, and words are not tangible.

But in this collection of old English jugs, and mugs, and bowls, and
cups, and so forth, exhibited in the Museum, there is the real
presentment of old rural England. Feeble pottery has ever borne the
impress of man more vividly than marble. From these they quenched their
thirst, over these they laughed and joked, and gossiped, and sang old
hunting songs till the rafters rang, and the dogs under the table got up
and barked. Cannot you see them? The stubbles are ready now once more
for the sportsmen.

With long-barrelled flint-lock guns they ranged over that wonderful map
of the land which lies spread out at your feet as you look down from the
Dyke. There are already yellowing leaves; they will be brown after a
while, and the covers will be ready once more for the visit of the
hounds. The toast upon this mug would be very gladly drunk by the
agriculturist of to-day in his silk hat and black coat. It is just what
he has been wishing these many seasons.

"Here's to thee, mine honest friend,
Wishing these hard times to mend."

Hard times, then, are nothing new.

"It is good ale," is the inscription on another jug; that jug would be
very welcome if so filled in many a field this very day. "Better luck
still" is a jug motto which every one who reads it will secretly respond
to. Cock-fighting has gone by, but we are even more than ever on the
side of fair play, and in that sense can endorse the motto, "May the
best cock win." A cup desires that fate should give

"Money to him who has spirit to use it,
And life to him who has courage to lose it."

A mug is moderate of wishes and somewhat cynical:--

"A little health, a little wealth,
A little house, and freedom;
And at the end a little friend,
And little cause to need him."

The toper, if he drank too deep, sometimes found a frog or newt at the
bottom (in china)--a hint not to be too greedy. There seem to have been
sad dogs about in those days from the picture on this piece--one
sniffing regretfully at the bunghole of an empty barrel:--

"This cask when stored with gin I loved to taste,
But now a smell, alas! must break my fast."

Upon a cup a somewhat Chinese arrangement of words is found:-