A Close study of the … Expand. Wilt Thou Be Lord of all the World? Modals and Persuasion in Shakespeare. The purpose of this research is to analyse the discourse of … Expand. Spilling the beans on Shakespeare : A study on how idioms are used in Othello. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how idioms help the building of opposing characters in a literary work and also what similarities and differences there are in the usage of idioms betwee … Expand.
View 2 excerpts, cites background. Related Papers. Abstract 7 Citations Related Papers. By clicking accept or continuing to use the site, you agree to the terms outlined in our Privacy Policy , Terms of Service , and Dataset License. Wentworth, despite his hurt feelings over Anne's earlier rejection and his determination to marry anyone but her, finally faces the truth of his emotions and risks rejection once more for the sake of his newly discovered, long-enduring devotion.
If we take Anne and her lover as exemplary, it is not quite accurate to generalize, as Anne does, that women love longest when all hope is gone. Men can love just as long—they just have more trouble acknowledging the fact about themselves.
One need not conclude that the navy will replace the aristocracy as center of social power. Anne, marrying Wentworth, can abandon self-sacrifice for self-fulfillment— which is not to say that she at all abandons her concern for others.
The novel's final sentences direct the reader's attention both to the life of personal feeling and to the navy's symbolic connection with private as well as public virtue. She gloried in being a sailor's wife, but she must pay the tax of quick alarm for belonging to that profession which is, if possible, more distinguished in its domestic virtues than in its national importance.
Being a sailor, or a sailor's wife, allows for intricate balances, between loving and being loved, between pride and fear, but also between personal absorption and public responsibility. T h e private satisfaction Wentworth receives corresponds to the national service he gives; Anne pays for her pride in his public role by fear for the possibility of her private deprivation. At any moment such precarious balances can tip, but the novel concludes with the imagining of their preservation and of their moral resonance.
Such preservation, such resonance signify for national life as well as for a couple's marriage. The text of Persuasion here printed is that of the first edition, dated but probably issued in late T h e printing of the two canceled chapters follows the edition of R. Ampersands that appeared in the original texts have been spelled out, and superscript letters have been lowered. Precisely such had the paragraph originally stood from the printer's hands; but Sir Walter had improved it by adding, for the information of himself and his family, these words, after the date of Mary's birth— "married, Dec.
Then followed the history and rise of the ancient and respectable fam- ily, in the usual terms: how it had been first settled in Cheshire; how 4 mentioned in Dugdale— serving the office of High Sheriff, represent- ing a borough in three successive parliaments, exertions of loyalty, and dignity of baronet, in the first year of Charles II.
Debrett's Baronetage of England Titles of nobility. New peerages. He had been remarkably handsome in his youth; and, at fifty-four, was still a very fine man. Few women could think more of their personal appearance than he did; nor could the valet of any new made lord be more delighted with the place he held in society.
His good looks and his rank had one fair claim on his attachment; since to them he must have owed a wife of very superior character to any thing deserved by his own. Lady Elliot had been an excellent woman, sensible and amiable; whose judgment and conduct, if they might be pardoned the youthful infatuation which made her Lady Elliot, had never required indulgence afterwards. This friend, and Sir Walter, did not marry, whatever might have been anticipated on that head by their acquaintance.
Elizabeth had succeeded, at sixteen, to all that was possible, of her mother's rights and consequence; and being very handsome, and very like himself, her influence had always been great, and they had gone on together most happily. His two other children were of very inferior value.
Mary had acquired a little artificial importance, by becoming Mrs. Charles Musgrove; but Anne, with an elegance of mind and sweetness of character, which must have placed her high with any people of real understanding, was nobody with either father or sister: her word had no weight; her convenience was always to give way;—she was only Anne.
Lady Russell loved them all; but it was only in Anne that she could fancy the mother to revive again. He had never indulged much hope, he had now none, of ever reading her name in any other page of his favourite work.
All equality of alliance must rest with Elizabeth; for Mary had merely connected herself with an old country family of respectability and large fortune, and had therefore given all the honour, and received none: Elizabeth would, one day or other, marry suitably. It sometimes happens, that a woman is handsomer at twenty-nine than she was ten years before; and, generally speaking, if there has been neither ill health nor anxiety, it is a time of life at which scarcely any charm is lost.
It was so with Elizabeth; still the same handsome Miss Elliot that she had begun to be thirteen years ago; and Sir Walter might be excused, therefore, in forgetting her age, or, at least, be deemed only half a fool, for thinking himself and Elizabeth as blooming as ever, amidst the wreck of the good looks of every body else; for he could plainly see how old all the rest of his family and acquaintance were growing. Anne haggard, Mary coarse, every face in the neighbourhood 5 worsting; and the rapid increase of the crow's foot about Lady Russell's temples had long been a distress to him.
Elizabeth did not quite equal her father in personal contentment. Thirteen years had seen her mistress of Kellynch Hall, presiding and directing with a self-possession and decision which could never have given the idea of her being younger than she was. For thirteen years had she been doing the honours, and laying down the domestic law at home, 5.
Thirteen winters' revolving frosts had seen her opening every ball of credit which a scanty neighbourhood afforded; and thirteen springs shewn their blossoms, as she travelled up to London with her father, for a few weeks annual enjoyment of the great world. She had the remembrance of all this; she had the consciousness of being nine- and-twenty, to give her some regrets and some apprehensions.
Then might she again take up the book of books with as much enjoyment as in her early youth; but now she liked it not.
Always to be presented with the date of her own birth, and see no marriage follow but that of a youngest sister, made the book an evil; and more than once, when her father had left it open on the table near her, had she closed it, with averted eyes, and pushed it away.
T h e heir presumptive, the very William Walter Elliot, Esq. She had, while a very young girl, as soon as she had known him to be, in the event of her having no brother, the future baronet, meant to marry him; and her father had always meant that she should. He had not been known to them as a boy, but soon after Lady Elliot's death Sir Walter had sought the acquaintance, and though his overtures had not been met with any warmth, he had persevered in seeking it, making allowance for the modest drawing back of youth; and in one of their spring excursions to London, when Elizabeth was in her first bloom, Mr.
Elliot had been forced into the introduction. He was at that time a very young man, just engaged in the study of the law; and Elizabeth found him extremely agreeable, and every plan in his favour was confirmed. He was invited to Kellynch Hall; he was talked of and expected all the rest of the year; but he never came. The following spring he was seen again in town, found equally agreeable, again encouraged, invited and expected, and again he did not come; and the next tidings were that he was married.
Instead of pushing his fortune in the line marked out for the heir of the house of Elliot, he had purchased independence by uniting himself to a rich woman of inferior birth. Sir Walter had resented it. As the head of the house, he felt that he ought to have been consulted, especially after taking the young man so 6. A light, open carriage drawn by four horses. This very awkward history of Mr. Elliot, was still, after an interval of several years, felt with anger by Elizabeth, who had liked the man for himself, and still more for being her father's heir, and whose strong family pride could see only in him, a proper match for Sir Walter Elliot's eldest daughter.
Yet so miserably had he conducted himself, that though she was at this present time, the 8 summer of , wearing black ribbons for his wife, she could not admit him to be worth thinking of again. This could not be pardoned. But now, another occupation and solicitude of mind was beginning to be added to these.
Her father was growing distressed for money. She knew, that when he now took up the Baronetage, it was to drive the heavy bills of his tradespeople, and the unwelcome hints of Mr. T h e Kellynch property was good, but not equal to Sir Walter's apprehension of the state required in its possessor. While Lady Elliot lived, there had been method, moderation, and economy, which had just kept him within his income; but with her had died all such right-mindedness, and from that period he had been constantly exceeding it.
It had not been possible for him to spend less; he had done nothing but what Sir Walter Elliot was imperiously called on to do; but blameless as he was, he was not only growing dreadfully in debt, but was hearing of it so often, that it became vain to attempt concealing it longer, even partially, from his daughter. He had given her some hints of it the last spring in town; he had gone so far even as to say, "Can we retrench?
A center for betting, located in Grosvenor Crescent. Tokens of mourning: his wife had died recently. But these measures, however good in themselves, were insufficient for the real extent of the evil, the whole of which Sir Walter found himself obliged to confess to her soon afterwards. Elizabeth had nothing to propose of deeper efficacy. He had condescended to mortgage as far as he had the power, but he would never condescend to sell. No; he would never disgrace his name so far.
T h e Kellynch estate should be transmitted whole and entire, as he had received it. Their two confidential friends, Mr. Chapter II Mr. Shepherd, a civil, cautious lawyer, who, whatever might be his hold or his views on Sir Walter, would rather have the disagreeable prompted by any body else, excused himself from offering the slightest hint, and only begged leave to recommend an implicit deference to the excellent judgment of Lady Russell,—from whose known good sense he fully expected to have just such resolute measures advised, as he meant to see finally adopted.
Lady Russell was most anxiously zealous on the subject, and gave it much serious consideration. She was a woman rather of sound than of quick abilities, whose difficulties in coming to any decision in this instance were great, from the opposition of two leading principles. She was of strict integrity herself, with a delicate sense of honour; but she was as desirous of saving Sir Walter's feelings, as solicitous for the credit of the family, as aristocratic in her ideas of what was due to them, as 9.
Sellable i. They must retrench; that did not admit of a doubt. She drew up plans of economy, she made exact calculations, and she did, what nobody else thought of doing, she consulted Anne, who never seemed considered by the others as having any interest in the question. She consulted, and in a degree was influenced by her, in marking out the scheme of retrenchment, which was at last submitted to Sir Walter.
Every emendation of Anne's had been on the side of honesty against importance. She wanted more vigorous measures, a more complete reformation, a quicker release from debt, a much higher tone of indifference for every thing but justice and equity. If he will adopt these regulations, in seven years he will be clear; and I hope we may be able to convince him and Elizabeth, that Kellynch-hall has a respectability in itself, which cannot be affected by these reductions; and that the true dignity of Sir Walter Elliot will be very far from lessened, in the eyes of sensible people, by his acting like a man of principle.
What will he be doing, in fact, but what very many of our first families have done,—or ought to do? I have great hope of our prevailing. She considered it as an act of indispensable duty to clear away the claims of creditors, with all the 2 expedition which the most comprehensive retrenchments could 1.
A knight ranked immediately below a baronet in the peerage. She wanted it to be prescribed, and felt as a duty. Her knowledge of her father and Elizabeth, inclined her to think that the sacrifice of one pair of horses would be hardly less painful than of both, and so on, through the whole list of Lady Russell's too gentle reductions. How Anne's more rigid requisitions might have been taken, is of little consequence.
Lady Russell's had no success at all—could not be put up with—were not to be borne. Every comfort of life knocked off! T o live no longer with the decencies even of a private gentleman! No, he would sooner quit Kellynch-hall at once, than remain in it on such disgraceful terms.
Shepherd, whose interest was involved in the reality of Sir Walter's retrenching, and who was perfectly persuaded that nothing would be done without a change of abode. There had been three alternatives, London, Bath, or another house in the country. All Anne's wishes had been for the latter. A small house in their own neighbourhood, where they might still have Lady Russell's society, still be near Mary, and still have the pleasure of sometimes seeing the lawns and groves of Kellynch, was the object of her ambition.
She disliked Bath, and did not think it agreed with her—and Bath was to be her home. Sir Walter had at first thought more of London, but Mr. Shepherd felt that he could not be trusted in London, and had been skilful enough to dissuade him from it, and make Bath preferred. It was a much safer place for a gentleman in his predicament:—he might there be important at comparatively little expense. Lady Russell felt obliged to oppose her dear Anne's known wishes.
It would be too much to expect Sir Walter to descend into a small house in his own neighbourhood. Lady Russell was fond of Bath in short, and disposed to think it must suit them all; and as to her young friend's health, by passing all the warm months with her at Kellynch-lodge, every danger would be avoided; and it was, in fact, a change which must do both health and spirits good. Her spirits were not high. A larger society would improve them.
She wanted her to be more known. The undesirableness of any other house in the same neighbourhood for Sir Walter, was certainly much strengthened by one part, and a very material part of the scheme, which had been happily engrafted on the beginning. He was not only to quit his home, but to see it in the hands of others; a trial of fortitude, which stronger heads than Sir Walter's have 4 found too much—Kellynch-hall was to be let.
This, however, was a profound secret; not to be breathed beyond their own circle. Sir Walter could not have borne the degradation of being known to design letting his house. How quick come the reasons for approving what we like!
Elizabeth had been lately forming an intimacy, which she wished to see interrupted. It was with a daughter of Mr. She was a clever young woman, who understood the art of pleasing; the art of pleasing, at least, at Kellynch-hall; and who had made herself so acceptable to Miss Elliot, as to have been already 3.
Away from. Lady Russell, indeed, had scarcely any influence with Elizabeth, and seemed to love her, rather because she would love her, than because Elizabeth deserved it. She had been repeatedly very earnest in trying to get Anne included in the visit to London, sensibly open to all the injustice and all the discredit of the selfish arrangements which shut her out, and on many lesser occasions had endeavoured to give Elizabeth the advantage of her own better judgment and experience—but always in vain; Elizabeth would go her own way—and never had she pursued it in more decided opposition to Lady Russell, than in this selection of Mrs.
Clay; turning from the society of so deserving a sister to bestow her affection and confidence on one who ought to have been nothing to her but the object of distant civility. From situation, Mrs. Shepherd one morning at Kellynch Hall, as he laid down the newspaper, "that the present juncture is much in our favour. This peace will be turning all 5 our rich Navy Officers ashore. They will be all wanting a home. Could not be a better time, Sir Walter, for having a choice of tenants, very responsible tenants.
Many a noble fortune has been made during the war. A prize indeed would Kellynch Hall be to him; rather the greatest prize of all, let him have taken ever so many 6 before—hey, Shepherd? I have had a little knowledge of 5. The apparent end of the Napoleonic Wars, signaled by the Treaty of Paris in Throughout the Napoleonic Wars, the powerful British Navy captured many enemy merchant ships; these "prizes" provided financial rewards for the captain of the conquering vessel.
CHAPTER III 13 their methods of doing business, and I am free to confess that they have very liberal notions, and are as likely to make desirable tenants as any set of people one should meet with.
Therefore, Sir Walter, what I would take leave to suggest is, that if in consequence of any rumours getting abroad of your intention—which must be contemplated as a possible thing, because we know how difficult it is to keep the actions and designs of one part of the world from the notice and curiosity of the other,— consequence has its tax—I, John Shepherd, might conceal any family- matters that I chose, for nobody would think it worth their while to observe me, but Sir Walter Elliot has eyes upon him which it may be very difficult to elude—and therefore, thus much I venture upon, that it will not greatly surprise me if, with all our caution, some rumour of the truth should get abroad—in the supposition of which, as I was going to observe, since applications will unquestionably follow, I should think any from our wealthy naval commanders particularly worth attending to—and beg leave to add, that two hours will bring me over at any time, to save you the trouble of replying.
But soon afterwards, rising and pacing the room, he observed sarcastically, "There are few among the gentlemen of the navy, I imagine, who would not be surprised to find themselves in a house of this description. Clay, for Mrs. Clay was present; her father had driven her over, nothing being of so much use to Mrs.
Clay's health as a drive to Kellynch: "but I quite agree with my father in thinking a sailor might be a very desirable tenant. I have known a good deal of the profession; and besides their liberality, they are so neat and careful in all their ways!
These valuable pictures of yours, Sir Walter, if you chose to leave them, would be perfectly safe. Every thing in and about the house would be taken such excellent care of! You need not be afraid, Miss Elliot, of your own sweet flower-garden's being neglected. I am not particularly disposed to favour a tenant. T h e park would be open to him of course, and few navy officers, or men of any other description, can have had such a range; but what restrictions I might impose on the use of the pleasure-grounds, is another thing.
I am not fond of the idea of my shrubberies being always approachable; and I should recommend Miss Elliot to be on her guard with respect to her flower-garden.
I am very little disposed to grant a tenant of Kellynch Hall any extraordinary favour, I assure you, be he sailor or soldier. Your interest, Sir Walter, is in pretty safe hands.
Depend upon me for taking care that no tenant has more than his just rights. I venture to hint, that Sir Walter Elliot cannot be half so jealous for his own, as John Shepherd will be for him.
Sailors work hard enough for their comforts, we must all allow. What Miss Anne says, is very true," was Mr. Shepherd's rejoinder, and "Oh! First, as being the means of bringing persons of obscure birth into undue distinction, and raising men to honours which their fathers and grandfathers never dreamt of; and secondly, as it cuts up a man's youth and vigour most horribly; a sailor grows old sooner than any other man; I have observed it all my life.
A man is in greater danger in the navy of being insulted by the rise of one whose father, his father might have disdained to speak to, and of becoming prematurely an object of disgust himself, than in any other line.
One day last spring, in town, I was in company with two men, striking instances of what I am talking of, Lord St.
Ives, and a certain Admiral Baldwin, the most deplorable looking personage you can imagine, his face the colour of mahogany, rough and rugged to the last degree, all lines and wrinkles, nine grey hairs of a side, and nothing but a dab of powder at top. What do you take his age to be? I never saw quite so wretched an example of what a sea-faring life can do; but to a degree, I know it is the same with them all: they are all knocked about, and exposed to every climate, and every weather, till they are not fit to be seen.
It is a pity they are not knocked on the head at once, before they reach Admiral Baldwin's age. Yield precedence. Clay, "this is being severe indeed. Have a little mercy on the poor men.
W e are not all born to be handsome. The sea is no beautifier, certainly; sailors do grow old betimes; I have often observed it; they soon lose the look of youth. But then, is not it the same with many other professions, perhaps most other? T h e lawyer plods, quite care-worn; the physician is up at all hours, and travelling in all weather; and even the clergyman—" she stopt a moment to consider what might do for the clergyman;—"and even the clergyman, you know, is obliged to go into infected rooms, and expose his health and looks to all the injury of a poisonous atmosphere.
In fact, as I have long been convinced, though every profession is necessary and honourable in its turn, it is only the lot of those who are not obliged to follow any, who can live in a regular way, in the country, choosing their own hours, following their own pursuits, and living on their own property, without the torment of trying for more; it is only their lot, I say, to hold the blessings of health and a good appearance to the utmost: I know no other set of men but what lose something of their personableness when they cease to be quite young.
Shepherd, in this anxiety to bespeak Sir Walter's goodwill towards a naval officer as tenant, had been gifted with foresight; for the very first application for the house was from an Admiral Croft, with whom he shortly afterwards fell into company in attending the 8 quarter sessions at Taunton; and indeed, he had received a hint of the admiral from a London correspondent.
Shepherd observed, Sir Walter's concerns could not be kept a secret, —accidentally hearing of the possibility of Kellynch Hall being to let, and understanding his Mr. Shepherd's connection with the owner, he had introduced himself to him in order to make particular inquiries, and had, in the course of a pretty long conference, expressed as strong an inclination for the place as a man who knew it only by description, could feel; and given Mr.
Shepherd, in his explicit account of himself, every proof of his being a most responsible, eligible tenant. Court sessions held four times a year by justices of the peace. Shepherd answered for his being of a gentleman's family, and mentioned a place; and Anne, after the little pause which followed, added— 9 1 "He is rear admiral of the white. He was in the Trafalgar action, and has been in the East Indies since; he has been stationed there, I believe, several years.
Shepherd hastened to assure him, that Admiral Croft was a very hale, hearty, well-looking man, a little weather-beaten, to be sure, but not much; and quite the gentleman in all his notions and behaviour;— not likely to make the smallest difficulty about terms;—only wanted a comfortable home, and to get into it as soon as possible;—knew he must pay for his convenience;—knew what rent a ready-furnished house of that consequence might fetch;—should not have been surprised if Sir Walter had asked more;—had inquired about the manor;—would be 2 glad of the deputation, certainly, but made no great point of it;—said he sometimes took out a gun, but never killed;—quite the gentleman.
He was a married man, and without children; the very state to be wished for. A house was never taken good care of, Mr. A lady, without a family, was the very best preserver of furniture in the world. He had seen Mrs.
Croft, too; she was at Taunton with the admiral, and had been present almost all the time they were talking the matter over. And moreover, Sir Walter, I found she was not quite unconnected in this country, any more than her husband; that is to say, she is sister to a gentleman who did live amongst us once; she told me so herself: sister to the gentleman who lived a few years back, at Monkford.
Bless me! At this moment I cannot recollect his name, though I have heard it so lately. Penelope, my dear, can you help me to the name of the gentleman who lived at Monkford—Mrs. Croft's brother? Clay was talking so eagerly with Miss Elliot, that she did not hear the appeal.
The navy consisted of three squadrons, Red, White, and Blue. Anne's display of knowledge here reveals her special interest in naval affairs, soon to be accounted for. In the Battle of Trafalgar October 21, , the British Navy triumphed over Napoleon's fleet and definitively established British naval supremacy.
The right to shoot game on the property. I shall forget my own name soon, I suppose. Very odd indeed! Wentworth, I suppose," said Anne. Shepherd was all gratitude. Wentworth was the very man. He had the curacy of Monkford, you know, Sir. Walter, some time back, for two or three years. Came there about the year—5, I take it. You remember him, I am sure. Wentworth, the curate of Monkford. You misled me by the term gentleman.
I thought you were speaking of some man of property: Mr. Wentworth was nobody, I remember; quite 3 unconnected; nothing to do with the Strafford family.
One wonders how the names of many of our nobility become so common. It succeeded, however; and though Sir Walter must ever look with an evil eye on any one intending to inhabit that house, and think them infinitely too well off in being permitted to rent it on the highest terms, he was talked into allowing Mr.
Sir Walter was not very wise; but still he had experience enough of the world to feel, that a more unobjectionable tenant, in all essentials, than Admiral Croft bid fair to be, could hardly offer.
So far went his understanding; and his vanity supplied a little additional soothing, in the admiral's situation in life, which was just high enough, and not too high.
An admiral speaks his own consequence, and, at the same time, can never make a baronet look small. In all their dealings and intercourse, Sir Walter Elliot must ever have the precedence. Shepherd was completely empowered to act; and no sooner had such an end been reached, than Anne, who had been a most attentive listener to the whole, left the room, to seek the comfort of cool air for her flushed cheeks; and as she walked along a favourite grove, said, with a gentle sigh, "a few months more, and he, perhaps, may be walking here.
Wentworth, the former curate of Monkford, however suspicious appearances may be, but a captain Frederick Wentworth, his brother, who being made commander in consequence of the action off 4 St. He was, at that time, a remarkably fine young man, with a great deal of intelligence, spirit and brilliancy; and Anne an extremely pretty girl, with gentleness, modesty, taste, and feeling.
They were gradually acquainted, and when acquainted, rapidly and deeply in love. A short period of exquisite felicity followed, and but a short one. He thought it a very degrading alliance; and Lady Russell, though with more tempered and pardonable pride, received it as a most unfortunate one. Anne Elliot, with all her claims of birth, beauty, and mind, to throw 4. A British naval victory in February Giving her no dowry. It must not be, if by any fair interference of friendship, any representations from one who had almost a mother's love, and mother's rights, it would be prevented.
Captain Wentworth had no fortune. But, he was confident that he should soon be rich;—full of life and ardour, he knew that he should soon have a ship, and soon be on a 6 station that would lead to every thing he wanted. He had always been lucky; he knew he should be so still. She saw in it but an aggravation of the evil. It only added a dangerous character to himself. He was brilliant, he was headstrong. She deprecated the connexion in every light.
Such opposition, as these feelings produced, was more than Anne could combat. Young and gentle as she was, it might yet have been possible to withstand her father's ill-will, though unsoftened by one kind word or look on the part of her sister;—but Lady Russell, whom she had always loved and relied on, could not, with such steadiness of opinion, and such tenderness of manner, be continually advising her in vain.
She was persuaded to believe the engagement a wrong thing—indiscreet, improper, hardly capable of success, and not deserving it. But it was not a merely selfish caution, under which she acted, in putting an end to it.
Had she not imagined herself consulting his good, even more than her own, she could hardly have given him up. Her attachment and regrets had, for a long time, clouded every enjoy- 6. He expected to be given command of a ship and assigned to a part of the world that would allow him to capture many enemy vessels. But in this case, Anne had left nothing for advice to do; and though Lady Russell, as satisfied as ever with her own discretion, never wished the past undone, she began now to have the anxiety which borders on hopelessness for Anne's being tempted, by some man of talents and independence, to enter a state for which she held her to be peculiarly fitted by her warm affections and domestic habits.
They knew not each other's opinion, either its constancy or its change, on the one leading point of Anne's conduct, for the subject was never alluded to,—but Anne, at seven and twenty, thought very differently from what she had been made to think at nineteen.
Here and throughout the novel meaning discriminating. All his sanguine expectations, all his confidence had been justified. He had, very soon after their engagement ceased, got employ; and all that he had told her would follow, had taken place. He had distinguished himself, and early gained the other step in rank—and must now, by successive captures, have made a handsome 8 fortune.
She had only navy lists and newspapers for her authority, but she could not doubt his being rich;—and, in favour of his constancy, she had no reason to believe him married. How eloquent could Anne Elliot have been,—how eloquent, at least, were her wishes on the side of early warm attachment, and a cheerful confidence in futurity, against that over-anxious caution which seems to insult exertion and distrust Providence!
With all these circumstances, recollections and feelings, she could not hear that Captain Wentworth's sister was likely to live at Kellynch, without a revival of former pain; and many a stroll and many a sigh were necessary to dispel the agitation of the idea. She was assisted, however, by that perfect indifference and apparent unconsciousness, among the only three of her own friends in the secret of the past, which seemed almost to deny any recollection of it. She could do justice to the superiority of Lady Russell's motives in this, over those of her father and Elizabeth; she could honour all the better feelings of her calmness— but the general air of oblivion among them was highly important, from whatever it sprung; and in the event of Admiral Croft's really taking Kellynch-hall, she rejoiced anew over the conviction which had always been most grateful to her, of the past being known to those three only among her connexions, by whom no syllable, she believed, would ever be whispered, and in the trust that among his, the brother only with whom he had been residing, had received any information of their short-lived engagement.
The sister, Mrs. Croft, had then been out of England, accompanying her husband on a foreign station, and her own sister, Mary, had been at school while it all occurred—and never admitted by the pride of some, and the delicacy of others, to the smallest knowledge of it afterwards. With these supports, she hoped that the acquaintance between herself 8.
Official publications of the navy containing lists of officers and other nautical information. Chapter V On the morning appointed for Admiral and Mrs. This meeting of the two parties proved highly satisfactory, and decided the whole business at once. T h e house and grounds, and furniture, were approved, the Crofts were approved, terms, time, every thing, and every body, was right; and Mr.
Shepherd's clerks were set to work, without there having been a single preliminary difference to modify of all that "This indenture sheweth. T h e baronet will never set the Thames on fire, but there seems no harm in him:"—reciprocal compliments, which would have been esteemed about equal. Lady Russell, convinced that Anne would not be allowed to be of any use, or any importance, in the choice of the house which they were going to secure, was very unwilling to have her hurried away so soon, and wanted to make it possible for her to stay behind, till she might convey her to Bath herself after Christmas; but having engagements of 9.
September It would be most right, and most wise, and, therefore, must involve least suffering, to go with the others.
Something occurred, however, to give her a different duty. This invitation of Mary's removed all Lady Russell's difficulties, and it was consequently soon settled that Anne should not go to Bath till Lady Russell took her, and that all the intervening time should be divided between Uppercross Cottage and Kellynch-lodge.
So far all was perfectly right; but Lady Russell was almost startled by the wrong of one part of the Kellynch-hall plan, when it burst on her, which was, Mrs. Clay's being engaged to go to Bath with Sir Walter and Elizabeth, as a most important and valuable assistant to the latter in all the business before her. Lady Russell was extremely sorry that such a measure should have been resorted to at all—wondered, grieved, and feared—and the affront it contained to Anne, in Mrs.
Clay's being of so much use, while Anne could be of none, was a very sore aggravation. Anne herself was become hardened to such affronts; but she felt the imprudence of the arrangement quite as keenly as Lady Russell. With a great deal of quiet observation, and a knowledge, which she often wished less, of her father's character, she was sensible that results the most serious to his family from the intimacy, were more than possible. She did not imagine that her father had at present an idea of the kind.
She had little hope of success; but Elizabeth, who in the event of such a reverse would be so much more to be pitied than herself, should never, she thought, have reason to reproach her for giving no warning. She spoke, and seemed only to offend. Elizabeth could not conceive how such an absurd suspicion should occur to her; and indignantly answered for each party's perfectly knowing their situation.
Clay," said she warmly, "never forgets who she is; and as I am rather better acquainted with her sentiments than you can be, I can assure you, that upon the subject of marriage they are particularly nice; and that she reprobates all inequality of condition and rank more strongly than most people. And as to my father, I really should not have thought that he, who has kept himself single so long for our sakes, need be suspected now.
If Mrs. Clay were a very beautiful woman, I grant you, it might be wrong to have her so much with me; not that any thing in the world, I am sure, would induce my father to make a degrading match; but he might be rendered unhappy. But poor Mrs. Clay, who, with all her merits, can never have been reckoned tolerably pretty! I really think poor Mrs. Clay may be staying here in perfect safety. One would imagine you had never heard my father speak of her personal misfortunes, though I know you must fifty times.
That tooth of her's! Freckles do not disgust me so very much as they do him: I have known a face not materially disfigured by a few, but he abominates them. You must have heard him notice Mrs. Clay's freckles.
However, at any rate, as I have a great deal more at stake on this point than any body else can have, I think it rather unnecessary in you to be advising me. Elizabeth, though resenting the suspicion, might yet be made observant by it. Clay to Bath. Techniques of Persuasion in Julius Caesar and Othello. Neophilologus 81, — Download citation. Issue Date : April Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:.
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