The house itself, which was formerly a convent of
Cistercian monks, had a venerable appearance: and along the front
that looked into the garden, was a stone gallery, which afforded
me many an agreeable walk, when I was disposed to be
contemplative. Now the old front is covered with a screen of
modern architecture; so that all without is Grecian, and all
within Gothic. As for the garden, which was well stocked with the
best fruit which England could produce, there is not now the
least vestage remaining of trees, walls, or hedges -- Nothing
appears but a naked circus of loose sand, with a dry bason and a
leaden triton in the middle.
You must know, that Baynard, at his father's death, had a clear
estate of fifteen hundred pounds a-year, and was in other
respects extremely well qualified to make a respectable figure in
the commonwealth; but, what with some excesses of youth, and the
expence of a contested election, he in a few years found himself
encumbered with a debt of ten thousand pounds, which he resolved
to discharge by means of a prudent marriage. He accordingly
married a miss Thomson, whose fortune amounted to double the sum
that he owed -- She was the daughter of a citizen, who had failed
in trade; but her fortune came by an uncle, who died in the East-Indies
-- Her own parents being dead, she lived with a maiden aunt,
who had superintended her education; and, in all appearance, was
well enough qualified for the usual purposes of the married
state -- Her virtues, however, stood rather upon a negative, than a
positive foundation -- She was neither proud, insolent, nor
capricious, nor given to scandal, nor addicted to gaming, nor
inclined to gallantry.
Pages:
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523