“I’mthePoetofWhiteHorseVale，sir，Withliberalnotionsundermycap。“-BalladTheBrownshavebecomeillustriousbythepenofThackerayandthepencilofDoyle，withinthememoryoftheyounggentlemenwhoarenowmatriculatingattheuniversities。Notwithstandingthewell-meritedbutlatefamewhichhasnowfallenuponthem，anyoneatallacquaintedwiththefamilymustfeelthatmuchhasyettobewrittenandsaidbeforetheBritishnationwillbeproperlysensibleofhowmuchofitsgreatnessitowestotheBrowns。Forcenturies，intheirquiet，dogged，homespunway，theyhavebeensubduingtheearthinmostEnglishcounties，andleavingtheirmarkinAmericanforestsandAustralianuplands。
WhereverthefleetsandarmiesofEnglandhavewonrenown，therestalwartsonsoftheBrownshavedoneyeomen’swork。Withtheyewbowandcloth-yardshaftatCressyandAgincourt——withthebrownbillandpikeunderthebraveLordWilloughby——withculverinanddemi-culverinagainstSpaniardsandDutchmen——withhand-grenadeandsabre，andmusketandbayonet，underRodneyandSt。Vincent，WolfeandMoore，NelsonandWellington，theyhavecarriedtheirlivesintheirhands，gettinghardknocksandhardworkinplenty——whichwasonthewholewhattheylookedfor，andthebestthingforthem——andlittlepraiseorpudding，whichindeedthey，andmostofus，arebetterwithout。TalbotsandStanleys，St。Maurs，andsuch-likefolk，haveledarmiesandmadelawstimeoutofmind；butthosenoblefamilieswouldbesomewhatastounded——iftheaccountsevercametobefairlytaken——tofindhowsmalltheirworkforEnglandhasbeenbythesideofthatoftheBrowns。
Theselatter，indeed，have，untilthepresentgeneration，rarelybeensungbypoet，orchronicledbysage。Theyhavewantedtheirsacervates，havingbeentoosolidtorisetothetopbythemselves，andnothavingbeenlargelygiftedwiththetalentofcatchingholdof，andholdingontightto，whatevergoodthingshappenedtobegoing——thefoundationofthefortunesofsomanynoblefamilies。Buttheworldgoesonitsway，andthewheelturns，andthewrongsoftheBrowns，likeotherwrongs，seeminafairwaytogetrighted。Andthispresentwriter，havingformanyyearsofhislifebeenadevoutBrown-worshipper，and，moreover，havingthehonourofbeingnearlyconnectedwithaneminentlyrespectablebranchofthegreatBrownfamily，isanxious，sofarasinhimlies，tohelpthewheelover，andthrowhisstoneontothepile。
However，gentlereader，orsimplereader，whicheveryoumaybe，lestyoushouldbeledtowasteyourprecioustimeuponthesepages，Imakesoboldasatoncetotellyouthesortoffolkyou’llhavetomeetandputupwith，ifyouandIaretojogoncomfortablytogether。YoushallhearatoncewhatsortoffolktheBrownsare——atleastmybranchofthem；andthen，ifyoudon’tlikethesort，why，cuttheconcernatonce，andletyouandIcryquitsbeforeeitherofuscangrumbleattheother。
Inthefirstplace，theBrownsareafightingfamily。Onemayquestiontheirwisdom，orwit，orbeauty，butabouttheirfighttherecanbenoquestion。Whereverhardknocksofanykind，visibleorinvisible，aregoing；theretheBrownwhoisnearestmustshoveinhiscarcass。Andthesecarcasses，forthemostpart，answerverywelltothecharacteristicpropensity:theyareasquareheadedandsnake-neckedgeneration，broadintheshoulder，deepinthechest，andthinintheflank，carryingnolumber。Thenforclanship，theyareasbadasHighlanders；itisamazingthebelieftheyhaveinoneanother。WiththemthereisnothingliketheBrowns，tothethirdandfourthgeneration。
“Bloodisthickerthanwater，“isoneoftheirpetsayings。
Theycan’tbehappyunlesstheyarealwaysmeetingoneanother。
Neverweresuchpeopleforfamilygatherings；which，wereyouastranger，orsensitive，youmightthinkhadbetternothavebeengatheredtogether。Forduringthewholetimeoftheirbeingtogethertheyluxuriateintellingoneanothertheirmindsonwhateversubjectturnsup；andtheirmindsarewonderfullyantagonistic，andalltheiropinionsaredownrightbeliefs。
Tillyou’vebeenamongthemsometimeandunderstandthem，youcan’tthinkbutthattheyarequarrelling。Notabitofit。
Theyloveandrespectoneanothertentimesthemoreafteragoodsetfamilyarguingbout，andgoback，onetohiscuracy，anothertohischambers，andanothertohisregiment，freshenedforwork，andmorethaneverconvincedthattheBrownsaretheheightofcompany。
Thisfamilytraining，too，combinedwiththeirturnforcombativeness，makesthememinentlyquixotic。Theycan’tletanythingalonewhichtheythinkgoingwrong。Theymustspeaktheirmindaboutit，annoyingalleasy-goingfolk，andspendtheirtimeandmoneyinhavingatinkeratit，howeverhopelessthejob。ItisanimpossibilitytoaBrowntoleavethemostdisreputablelamedogontheothersideofastile。Mostotherfolkgettiredofsuchwork。TheoldBrowns，withredfaces，whitewhiskers，andbaldheads，goonbelievingandfightingtoagreenoldage。Theyhavealwaysacrotchetgoing，tilltheoldmanwiththescythereapsandgarnersthemawayfortroublesomeoldboysastheyare。
Andthemostprovokingthingis，thatnofailuresknockthemup，ormakethemholdtheirhands，orthinkyou，orme，orothersanepeopleintheright。FailuresslideoffthemlikeJulyrainoffaduck’sbackfeathers。Jemandhiswholefamilyturnoutbad，andcheatthemoneweek，andthenexttheyaredoingthesamethingforJack；andwhenhegoestothetreadmill，andhiswifeandchildrentotheworkhouse，theywillbeonthelookoutforBilltotakehisplace。
However，itistimeforustogetfromthegeneraltotheparticular；so，leavingthegreatarmyofBrowns，whoarescatteredoverthewholeempireonwhichthesunneversets，andwhosegeneraldiffusionItaketobethechiefcauseofthatempire’sstability；letusatoncefixourattentionuponthesmallnestofBrownsinwhichourherowashatched，andwhichdweltinthatportionoftheroyalcountyofBerkswhichiscalledtheValeofWhiteHorse。
MostofyouhaveprobablytravelleddowntheGreatWesternRailwayasfarasSwindon。Thoseofyouwhodidsowiththeireyesopenhavebeenaware，soonafterleavingtheDidcotstation，ofafinerangeofchalkhillsrunningparallelwiththerailwayontheleft-handsideasyougodown，anddistantsometwoorthreemiles，moreorless，fromtheline。ThehighestpointintherangeistheWhiteHorseHill，whichyoucomeinfrontofjustbeforeyoustopattheShrivenhamstation。
IfyouloveEnglishscenery，andhaveafewhourstospare，youcan’tdobetter，thenexttimeyoupass，thanstopattheFarringdonRoadorShrivenhamstation，andmakeyourwaytothathighestpoint。Andthosewhocareforthevagueoldstoriesthathauntcountry-sidesallaboutEngland，willnot，iftheyarewise，becontentwithonlyafewhours’stay；for，gloriousastheviewis，theneighbourhoodisyetmoreinterestingforitsrelicsofbygonetimes。IonlyknowtwoEnglishneighbourhoodsthoroughly，andineach，withinacircleoffivemiles，thereisenoughofinterestandbeautytolastanyreasonablemanhislife。Ibelievethistobethecasealmostthroughoutthecountry，buteachhasaspecialattraction，andnonecanbericherthantheoneIamspeakingofandgoingtointroduceyoutoveryparticularly，foronthissubjectImustbeprosy；sothosethatdon’tcareforEnglandindetailmayskipthechapter。
OyoungEngland！youngEngland！youwhoarebornintotheseracingrailroadtimes，whenthere’saGreatExhibition，orsomemonstersight，everyyear，andyoucangetoveracoupleofthousandmilesofgroundforthreepoundteninafive-weeks’
holiday，whydon’tyouknowmoreofyourownbirthplaces？
You’reallintheendsoftheearth，itseemstome，assoonasyougetyournecksoutoftheeducationalcollar，formidsummerholidays，longvacations，orwhatnot——goingroundIreland，withareturnticket，inafortnight；droppingyourcopiesofTennysononthetopsofSwissmountains；orpullingdowntheDanubeinOxfordracingboats。Andwhenyougethomeforaquietfortnight，youturnthesteamoff，andlieonyourbacksinthepaternalgarden，surroundedbythelastbatchofbooksfromMudie’slibrary，andhalfboredtodeath。Well，well！I
knowithasitsgoodside。YouallpatterFrenchmoreorless，andperhapsGerman；youhaveseenmenandcities，nodoubt，andhaveyouropinions，suchastheyare，aboutschoolsofpainting，highart，andallthat；haveseenthepicturesofDresdenandtheLouvre，andknowthetasteofsourkrout。AllIsayis，youdon’tknowyourownlanesandwoodsandfields。Thoughyoumaybechoke-fullofscience，notoneintwentyofyouknowswheretofindthewood-sorrel，orbee-orchis，whichgrowinthenextwood，oronthedownthreemilesoff，orwhatthebog-beanandwood-sagearegoodfor。Andasforthecountrylegends，thestoriesoftheoldgable-endedfarmhouses，theplacewherethelastskirmishwasfoughtinthecivilwars，wheretheparishbuttsstood，wherethelasthighwaymanturnedtobay，wherethelastghostwaslaidbytheparson，they’regoneoutofdatealtogether。
Now，inmytime，whenwegothomebytheoldcoach，whichputusdownatthecross-roadswithourboxes，thefirstdayoftheholidays，andhadbeendrivenoffbythefamilycoachman，singing“DulceDomum“atthetopofourvoices，therewewere，fixtures，tillblackMondaycameround。Wehadtocutoutourownamusementswithinawalkorarideofhome。Andsowegottoknowallthecountryfolkandtheirwaysandsongsandstoriesbyheart，andwentoverthefieldsandwoodsandhills，againandagain，tillwemadefriendsofthemall。WewereBerkshire，orGloucestershire，orYorkshireboys；andyou’reyoungcosmopolites，belongingtoallcountriesandnocountries。
Nodoubtit’sallright；Idaresayitis。Thisisthedayoflargeviews，andglorioushumanity，andallthat；butIwishback-swordplayhadn’tgoneoutintheValeofWhiteHorse，andthatthatconfoundedGreatWesternhadn’tcarriedawayAlfred’sHilltomakeanembankment。
ButtoreturntothesaidValeofWhiteHorse，thecountryinwhichthefirstscenesofthistrueandinterestingstoryarelaid。AsIsaid，theGreatWesternnowrunsrightthroughit，anditisalandoflarge，richpasturesboundedbyox-fences，andcoveredwithfinehedgerowtimber，withhereandthereanicelittlegorseorspinney，whereabidethpoorCharley，havingnoothercovertowhichtobetakehimselfformilesandmiles，whenpushedoutsomefineNovembermorningbytheoldBerkshire。
Thosewhohavebeenthere，andwellmounted，onlyknowhowheandthestanchlittlepackwhodashafterhim——headshighandsternslow，withabreast-highscent——canconsumethegroundatsuchtimes。Therebeinglittleploughland，andfewwoods，theValeisonlyanaveragesportingcountry，exceptforhunting。
Thevillagesarestraggling，queer，old-fashionedplaces，thehousesbeingdroppeddownwithouttheleastregularity，innooksandout-of-the-waycorners，bythesidesofshadowylanesandfootpaths，eachwithitspatchofgarden。Theyarebuiltchieflyofgoodgraystone，andthatched；thoughIseethatwithinthelastyearortwothered-brickcottagesaremultiplying，fortheValeisbeginningtomanufacturelargelybothbricksandtiles。Therearelotsofwastegroundbythesideoftheroadsineveryvillage，amountingoftentovillagegreens，wherefeedthepigsandgandersofthepeople；andtheseroadsareold-fashioned，homelyroads，verydirtyandbadlymade，andhardlyendurableinwinter，butstillpleasantjog-
trotroadsrunningthroughthegreatpasture-lands，dottedhereandtherewithlittleclumpsofthorns，wherethesleekkinearefeeding，withnofenceoneithersideofthem，andagateattheendofeachfield，whichmakesyougetoutofyourgig(ifyoukeepone)，andgivesyouachanceoflookingaboutyoueveryquarterofamile。
Oneofthemoralistswhomwesatunderinouryouth——wasitthegreatRichardSwiveller，orMr。Stiggins——says，“Weareborninavale，andmusttaketheconsequencesofbeingfoundinsuchasituation。“TheseconsequencesI，forone，amreadytoencounter。Ipitypeoplewhoweren’tborninavale。Idon’tmeanaflatcountry；butavale——thatis，aflatcountryboundedbyhills。Thehavingyourhillalwaysinviewifyouchoosetoturntowardshim——that’stheessenceofavale。
Thereheisforeverinthedistance，yourfriendandcompanion。
Youneverlosehimasyoudoinhillydistricts。
