Tales and Novels — Volume 05 Tales of a Fashionable Life

“Yesterday, Sir John Hunter, of Hunter Hall, Devonshire, Bart., led to the hymeneal altar the accomplished Mrs. Beaumont, relict of the late Colonel Beaumont, of Beaumont Park....

Novelists and novel readers are usually satisfied when they arrive at this happy catastrophe; their interest and curiosity seldom go any farther: but, in real life, marriage is...

On his way to Glistonbury Castle, Vivian had full leisure to repent of having accepted of this invitation, recollecting, as he did, all the former reports about himself and Lady...

“Friends are not always the best biographers,” said Mr. Walsingham; “but I will try to be impartial. My ward’s first desire to be a sailor was excited, as he has often since tol...

“My dear Russell,” said Vivian, “love shall not make me forget friendship; before I marry, I must see you provided for. Believe me, this was the first--one of the first pleasure...

The hour of going to the House of Commons at length arrived; Lord Glistonbury saw that Vivian was so much out of spirits, and in such confusion of mind, that he began to fear th...

In the modern fashionable code of honour, when a man has seduced or carried off his friend’s wife, the next thing he has to do is to fight the man whom he has injured and betray...

“Is it possible,” exclaimed Vivian, “that you, Russell, my friend, my best friend, can tell me that this line is the motto of my character!--’ To see the best, and yet the worse...

“Before you open this letter, you will have heard, probably, that my uncle, the Bishop of ----, has taken me under his protection. I cannot sufficiently regret that I was not a...

Convinced that all farther pursuit of Lady Julia Lidhurst would be vain, that it could tend only to increase her difficulties and his mortification, Vivian saw that the best thi...

“True love’s the gift which God has giv’n To man alone, beneath the heav’n; It is the secret sympathy, The silver link, the silken tie, Which heart to heart, and mind to mind, I...

When our hero arrived in London, and when he was first introduced into fashionable society, his thoughts were so intent upon Selina Sidney, that he was in no danger of plunging...

“Matter? Oh, nothing!--Did I say that any thing was the matter? Don’t speak so loud,” whispered she: “your groom heard every word we said; stay till he is out of hearing, and th...

“Mr. Vivian, I trust that I am not deficient in maidenly modesty,” said Lady Julia, “when it is not incompatible with what I deem a higher virtue--sincerity. Now and ever, frank...

To the settlement of accounts they sat down in due form; and it so happened, that though this dear good old soul had not the best memory in the world, yet he had an obstinate re...

Suspense, curiosity, love, jealousy, remorse, any one of which is enough to keep a person awake all night, by turns agitated poor Vivian so violently, that for several hours he...

By this time Lady Mary Vivian began to hear hints of her son’s attachment to Mrs. Wharton; and, much alarmed, she repented having encouraged him to form a political or fashionab...

To prepare Amelia to receive Sir John Hunter _properly_ was Mrs. Beaumont’s next attempt; for as she had represented to Mr. Palmer that her daughter was attached to Sir John, it...

All that passed in the two hours’ conversation between the discarded baronet and the mother of his late mistress did not transpire; but Mrs. Beaumont said that she had taken inf...

“Here’s glorious news of Captain Walsingham!” cried young Beaumont; “I always knew he would distinguish himself if he had an opportunity; and, thank God! he has had as fine an o...

Amongst the infinite petty points of cunning of which that great practical philosopher Bacon has in vain essayed to make out a list, he notes that, “Because it worketh better wh...

That he had not actually arrived was a comfortable reprieve to Mrs. Beaumont. Breathing more freely, and in refreshed spirits, she prepared to alight from her carriage, to walk...

One morning, as Vivian was walking with Mr. Wharton up Bond-street, they were met by a party of fashionable loungers, one of whom asked whether Mrs. Wharton was not come to town...

That old politician, the cardinal of Lorraine, used to say, that “a lie believed but for one hour doth many times in a nation produce effects of seven years’ continuance.” At th...

The third day went off still more successfully. Dr. Wheeler called at breakfast, frightened Mr. Palmer out of his senses about his health, and convinced him that his life depend...

The information which Mrs. Beaumont’s man, Martin, had learned from the servants’ hall, and had communicated to the fisherman’s wife, was more correct, and had been less amplifi...

“I am more grieved than I can express, my dearest Miss Walsingham, by a cruel _contre-temps_, which must prevent my indulging myself in the long-promised and long-expected pleas...

Mr. Beaumont had just been at a neighbouring farm-house, where there lived one of Mr. Walsingham’s tenants; a man of the name of Birch, a respectable farmer, who was originally...

“By St. George, there’s nothing like Old England for comfort!” cried Mr. Palmer, settling himself in his arm-chair in the evening; “nothing after all in any part of the known wo...

Vivian, who had felt oppressed and almost enslaved by his compassion, breathed more freely when he at last found himself in his carriage, driving away from Glistonbury. His own...

conduct to my mother and to yours; if they think me capricious, I can bear it. I shall tell them that my sentiments are totally changed: I am sure I can say so with perfect trut...

After he had despatched his two letters, he became excessively anxious to receive Mrs. Wharton’s answer. By trifling but unavoidable accidents, it was delayed a few hours. At la...