[Letterhead:]
QUEEN'S HOTEL,
SOUTHSEA
STATION, PORTSMOUTH TOWN
TELEPHONE 2037

My dear Calvin,

We were glad to receive letters from you and Mary here yesterday. Received the first ones in London. Have already written about the Victory &c. Yesterday we spent at Winchester the first capital of England. The immense lofty groined stone ceiling is marvellous. Westminster Abbey cannot compare with it in anyway. We had a learned guide who poured out information till I felt hopeless. There are the bones of Canute and his wife Emma and three others, Egbert is one, laid up in iron boxes on the top of a wall along the sanctuary. We have cards, which will help explain. The pure white stone screen of immense height covered with beautifully carved full sized figures of noted worthies, saints, martyrs, bishops each under a canopy is quite beyond description. William Rufus's and Gardner's tomb. The guide evidently hated Queen Elizabeth while he explained how the many empty niches had been cleared out by her. All this mischief was done long before Cromwell. There is also a great College here, immensely wealthy all of it, because of the great land grant in early days to the church. Henry VII married there and his son Arther baptized. In the Town Hall, Arthur's round table is hung on the wall (?) and fine Statue of King Arthur in the Square. Then we saw the very magnificent memorial to the Winchester College men who fell in the War. Will try to describe it when I reach home. Am standing the steady sight seeing wonderfully well and tho' it is made most easy, it is somewhat strenuous, keeping steadily going all days. We are starting for Salisbury now.

Later. The Cathedral is very fine, much more beautiful outside than Winchester, the architecture being more graceful with its lofty spires. Then we motored out to Stonehenge and saw these noted Druidic remains, back thro' a marvellously beautiful country with the thatched roofs and hedges along winding roads past where the Soldiers' Camp was. Also past Sir Edward's Gray's house & the tiny church where he was married. Saw too Sir Oliver Lodge's house.

To-morrow we are resting and next day Saturday August 2^nd start for Devonshire. Am keeping wonderfully well and ought to do so with so much entertainment; the weather too has been very fine.

You would start off to Muskoka yesterday. Take care of enclosed card & cutting. Though you might like to show it. Forgot to say, we had delightful afternoon on Isle of W. and ride on Ferry. Carisbrooke Castle, a very remarkable place with museum. Take care of yourself & get rested. With love.

Your mother

M.B. McQuesten