我的理解是,country此處是指鄉村,而非國家;如果要指國家,會用下麵的句子:
He had often dreamed of retiring in England and had planned to settle down there.
或者:
He had often dreamed of retiring in England and had planned to settle down in that country.
字典解釋:
country - rural districts, including farmland, parkland, and other sparsely populated areas, as opposed to cities or towns: Many city dwellers like to spend their vacations in the country.