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Coming out; and The field of the forty footsteps. By J. and A.M. Porter
Coming out and The field of the forty footsteps By J and AM Porter Author:Jane Porter 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: CHAP. III. It well accorded with the spirit of the murmurers, in the bright and equable days we have described, when those peaceful and gaily gallant times, u... more »nmo- Jesting and joyous to high and low, were drawmg to an end; when repletion be- came satiated ; when the rich longed to become noble, and the noble could not submit his neck to the domination of royalty ; when royalty sometimes forgot that the laws were its superior, and justice became hidden, no one knew where. Then, the heretofore happy people of the nation, —- happy in the simple homes of unpretending comfort,—quickly found themselves disturbed by one or other of the discontented, loudly-disputing parties ; and their quiet thresholds being at last crossed, and their domains invaded, to make room for harsher arguments than words, the natural effect ensued. In mere self-defence, all persons rallied on one side or other, till England became a not less absurd than terrific spectacle; raising bulwarks against itself, and pulling down every revered memorial of former national greatness. And all this came upon many of the untroubling, contented, country-abiding gentry of the land, as it did upon the inhabitants of Matchelowe Court, like a thief in the night; with amazement and consternation in its train, commanding their unresisting submission to whatever might befall. But the latent mischief did not break out till some time after Sir Eustace had left his home for a long journey through the Netherlands into Germany, and, if need presented, for a vast circuit beyond. Little emulous as he had ever been of occasions to take him, even on the proudest errands, from the bosom of his family; and diffident as he was of his talents being equal to fulfilling any suchimportant trusts, he was indeed gone on a private embas...« less