Marriage [By S.E. Ferrier]. Edinb. Ed (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Miss Clavering writes in answer: ? " Ardencaple Castle, Sunday Morning. " First of all I must tell you that I approve in the most signal manner of Lady Maclaughlan. The sort of character was totally unexpected by me, and I was really transported with her. Do I know the person who is the original 1 The dress was vastly like Mrs. Damer,1 and the manners like Lady Frederick.2 Tell me if you did not mean a touch at her. I love poor Sir Sampson vastly, though it is impossible, in the presence of his lady, to have eyes or ears for any one else. Now you must not think of altering her, and it must all go forth in the world; neither must the misses upon any account be changed. I have a way now of at least offering it to publication by which you never can be discovered. I will tell the person that I wrote it (indeed, quotha, cries Miss Ferrier, and no great favour; see how she loves to plume herself with borrowed fame!). Well, however, my way is quite sure, and the person would never think of speaking of it again, so never let the idea of detection come across your brain while you are writing to damp your ardour. " Positively neither Sir Sampson's lady nor the foolish virgins must be displaced." Again she writes from Inveraray Castle (of date December 1810), eight years before the work was published: ? 1 Daughter of General Seymour Conway, and a distinguished sculptor. She was niece of the fifth Duke of Argyll. Lady Frederick Campbell is believed to have suggested the character of Lady Maclaughlan to Miss Ferrier, and there is little doubt she was the original. She was the widow of Earl Ferrers, of Tyburn notoriety, and was burnt to death at Coombe Bank, Kent, in 1807. " And now, my dear Susannah, I must tell you of the success of your first-born. I read it to Lady Cha...