The first chapter of this book was written to discover for myself something of England, when parts of it were going through bad times, and to present the reader with a few glimpses of the northern counties. I have attempted to be objective as well as observant, and to describe those things that people would find of most interest, for a book fulfills its purpose only if it is stimulating. The other regions of the country may easily be overlooked or taken for granted as boring, but in preparing the book I discovered that everyday places may well be more entertaining than sham tourism. It seemed a good idea to see a little of London, which can be intimidating to provincial dwellers. Since these journeys were made, technology has changed a great deal, but the good and bad of Britain has only changed its form and not its nature.