The authorities and sources of information conveyed in the following pages, are fully acknowledged. "Quotation," said Johnson, "is a good thing; there is a community of mind in it;" although some writers seem to ride upon their readers, like Pyrrhus on his elephant, forgetting that "there is not so poor a book in the world, that would not be a prodigious effort, were it wrought out entirely by a single hand, without the aid of prior investigation." Real antiquarianism has been well defined as a lively knowledge of the Past, comprehending the spirit of a period through the details of its customs, events, and institutions; the language of its writers, the movements of its sciences and arts; and, by keeping in view these points, the writer of the present volume hopes he has succeeded in producing a recreative result worthy of the acceptance of the reader. CONTENTS. I. Early English Life. PAGE Aboriginal Britons--British Caves--Bosphrennis Bee-hive Hut and Picts' House--On the Brigantes of Yorkshire; by Prof. Phillips 1-7 BRITAIN BEFORE THE ROMAN COLONIZATION. Lappenberg's Picture of South Britain--War Chariots--Druidism, its Rites and Customs--Arch-Druid and Mistletoe--Legend of Stonehenge--Charles II. at Stonehenge--Fire Worship--Druidical Serpents' Eggs--Druids' Medicines--Druid Schools and Priests--Trade of the Phoenicians--Tin-trade of Cornwall--Ornamental Art--British War-chiefs--Britain and New Zealand compared 8-23 THE ROMANS IN ENGLAND. Civilization of Ancient Britain--British and Roman Encampments--British Trackways and Roman Roads--British Railways--Country of the Brigantes--London of Roman origin--The Romans leave Britain--Roman London in Leadenhall Street--Mr. Roach Smith's Museum--Roman Wall, Pottery, and Glass--Roman City of Uriconium, Wroxeter, described--Owen Glendower's Oak--Shropshire Legends of Giants--Silchester explored--Conquest by Cæsar: Condition of the People then and now 24-45 DOMESTIC LIFE OF THE SAXONS. Saxon Architecture--Saxon Houses--Mead-hall, or Beer-hall--Saxon Beds--Story of Vortigern and Rowena--Origin of the Wassail Cup and the Loving Cup--Dinner in the Middle Ages--Peg Tankards and Drinking Horns--Mazer Bowls--The Hanap--Saxon Metal-working--Alfred's Jewel, and Ethelwulf's Ring--Saxon Coins--Glass-making--Saxon Cloths and Dyeing--Embroidery--Iron-smelting--Alfred's Inventions--Travelling in the Saxon Times--Sussex Roads--Stirrups, Spurs, and Bridles 46-60 MEALS--BRITISH, ANGLO-ROMAN, AND SAXON.