AfterpassingTipton，atwhichplaceoneleavesthegreatworkingdistrictbehind；Ibecameforaconsiderabletimeayawning，listlessEnglishman，withoutpride，enthusiasm，orfeelingofanykind，fromwhichstateIwassuddenlyrousedbythesightofruinededificesonthetopsofhills。TheywereremainsofcastlesbuiltbyNormanBarons。Here，perhaps，thereaderwillexpectfrommeaburstofNormanenthusiasm：ifsohewillbemistaken；IhavenoNormanenthusiasm，andhateandabominatethenameofNorman，forIhavealwaysassociatedthatnamewiththedefloweringofhelplessEnglishwomen，theplunderingofEnglishhomesteads，andthetearingoutofpoorEnglishmen’seyes。Thesightofthoseedifices，nowinruins，butwhichwereoncethestrongholdsofplunder，violence，andlust，mademealmostashamedofbeinganEnglishman，fortheybroughttomymindtheindignitiestowhichpoorEnglishbloodhasbeensubjected。Isatsilentandmelancholy，tilllookingfromthewindowIcaughtsightofalonglineofhills，whichIguessedtobetheWelshhills，asindeedtheyproved，whichsightcausingmetorememberthatIwasboundforWales，thelandofthebard，mademecastallgloomythoughtsasideandglowwithalltheWelshenthusiasmwithwhichI
glowedwhenIfirststartedinthedirectionofWales。
OnarrivingatChester，atwhichplaceweintendedtospendtwoorthreedays，weputupatanold—fashionedinninNorthgateStreet，towhichwehadbeenrecommended；mywifeanddaughterorderedteaanditsaccompaniments，andIorderedale，andthatwhichalwaysshouldaccompanyit，cheese。\"ThealeIshallfindbad，\"saidI；
ChesteralehadavillainouscharacterinthetimeofoldSionTudor，whomadeafirst—rateenglynuponit，andithasscarcelyimprovedsince；\"butIshallhaveatreatinthecheese，Cheshirecheesehasalwaysbeenreckonedexcellent，andnowthatIaminthecapitalofthecheesecountry，ofcourseIshallhavesomeoftheveryprime。\"Well，thetea，loafandbuttermadetheirappearance，andwiththemmycheeseandale。Tomyhorrorthecheesehadmuchtheappearanceofsoapofthecommonestkind，whichindeedIfounditmuchresembledintaste，onputtingasmallportionintomymouth。\"Ah，\"saidI，afterIhadopenedthewindowandejectedthehalf—masticatedmorselintothestreet，\"thosewhowishtoregaleongoodCheshirecheesemustnotcometoChester，nomorethanthosewhowishtodrinkfirst—ratecoffeemustgotoMocha。I’llnowseewhetherthealeisdrinkable；\"soItookalittleofthealeintomymouth，andinstantlygoingtothewindow，spirteditoutafterthecheese。\"Ofasurety，\"saidI，\"ChesteralemustbeofmuchthesamequalityasitwasinthetimeofSionTudor，whospokeofittothefollowingeffect：—
\"Chesterale，Chesterale！Icouldne’ergetitdown，’Tismadeofground—ivy，ofdirt，andofbran，’Tisasthickasariverbelowahugetown！