Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1842 edition. Excerpt: ...not have been surprised; but it is an unheard-of simpleness for you, Hope. Dress and ornaments! they are the most likely things in the world to take the mind off from trouble. Till I came to this new English colony, where everything seems, as it were, topsy-turvy, I never saw that woman whose mind could not be diverted by dress and ornaments." " You strangely dishonour your memory, Mistress Grafton, or Hope's noble mother," said the elder Fletcher; " methinks I have often heard you say that Alice Fletcher had no taste for these vanities." " No, you never heard me say that, Mr. Fletcher. Vanities! no, never, the longest day I had to live; for I never called them vanities--no; I did say Alice always went as plain as a pike-staff after you left England; and a great pity it was, I always thought; for, when Queen Henrietta came from France, we had such a world of beautiful new fashions, it would have cured Alice of moping if she would have given her mind to it. There was my Lady Penyvere, how different it was with her after her losses: let's see--her husband, and her son Edward, heir to the estate, and her daughter-in-law--that was not so much, but we'll count her--and Ulrica, her own daughter, all died in one week; and, for an aggravation, her coachman, horses, coach, and all, went off London Bridge, and all were drowned--killed--smashed to death; and yet, in less than a week, my lady gave orders for every suit of mourning; and that is the great use of wearing mourning, as she said: it takes the mind off from trouble." Hope felt, and her quick eye saw, that her aunt was running on sadly at her own expense; and, to produce an effect similar to the painter, when, by his happy art, he shifts his lights, throwing defects into shadow, and bringing...