| | 1 | Author: | Irving
Washington
1783-1859 | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | Bracebridge Hall, or, The humorists  | | | | Published: | 1997 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | University of Virginia Library, Early American Fiction, 1789-1875 | UVA-LIB-EarlyAmFict1789-1875 | | | | Description: | I take great pleasure in accompanying the
Squire in his perambulations about his estate,
in which he is often attended by a kind of cabinet
council. His prime minister, the steward, is a
very worthy and honest old man, and one of those
veteran retainers that assume a right of way;
that is to say, a right to have his own way, from
having lived time out of mind on the place. He
loves the estate even better than he does the
Squire, and thwarts the latter sadly in many of
his projects of improvement and alteration. Indeed,
the old man is a little apt to oppose every
plan that does not originate with himself, and
will hold long arguments about it, over a stile,
or on a rise of ground, until the Squire, who has
a high opinion of his ability and integrity, is fain
to give up the point. Such concession immediately
mollifies the old steward; and it often happens,
that after walking a field or two in silence
with his hands behind his back, chewing the cud
of reflection, he will suddenly observe, that “he
has been turning the matter over in his mind,
and, upon the whole, he thinks he will take his
honour's advice.” | | | Similar Items: | Find |
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