Englishwomen in Past and Present Times (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1841 Excerpt: ... IV. THE HISTORY OP MRS. GEORGIAN A MANSFIELD. In my last long lecture upon old maids, I promised to introduce to you one of the ornaments of the sisterhood, my valued friend Mrs. Georgiana Mansfield; and I shall begin my history with a brief account of the nature of my early acquaintance with her. Adjoining the shrubbery of my beloved grandfather's parsonage, and forming its woody background, is a park, which with its hills, dingles, temples, waterfalls and avenues, surrounded the ornamental gardens and ancient family mansion of a gentleman of the name of Mansfield. At the time of my grandfather's death, when I took leave of my native village, the possessor of the estate was an elderly person, who had married late in life, and had been left a widower with two children, both infants. At my late return to this dear village, and my establishment in a beautiful lodge in their park, the infants at the Hall, whom I had often dandled in my arms, were become middle-aged persons; the brother, the father of a fine family of children, as well as the father of a happy and well-regulated household and tenantry, and the sister occupying the place of a deceased mother, to her brother's children, having learned, (as will hereafter appear more at large, ) from the long exercise of self-denial, patience in adversity, and true Christian charity, to feel towards them almost the selfsame maternal feelings which natural sympathies had never elicited in her bosom; and her general conduct as the hospitable lady of the mansion, the prudent and kind mistress of a large family, and the sympathizing dispenser of her brother's charity, silencing every jest which the thoughtless often cast upon the name and character of the old maid. But to return to my first recollections of Georgiana: -...