diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 01:54:43 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 01:54:43 -0700 |
| commit | c6c7b77bd5d5f438fb4bd36cd4dc76c0ce5ad6be (patch) | |
| tree | 38cbc9da682bafbc8f7b30068e23ae6d1ef9acc7 | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 22845-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 18873 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 22845-h/22845-h.htm | 875 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 22845.txt | 800 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 22845.zip | bin | 0 -> 17904 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
7 files changed, 1691 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/22845-h.zip b/22845-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..93c73ed --- /dev/null +++ b/22845-h.zip diff --git a/22845-h/22845-h.htm b/22845-h/22845-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f42fee7 --- /dev/null +++ b/22845-h/22845-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,875 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + The Beauty of the Village, by Mary Russell Mitford + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +Project Gutenberg's The Beauty Of The Village, by Mary Russell Mitford + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Beauty Of The Village + +Author: Mary Russell Mitford + +Release Date: October 2, 2007 [EBook #22845] +Last Updated: January 9, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BEAUTY OF THE VILLAGE *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + <div style="height: 8em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h1> + THE BEAUTY OF THE VILLAGE + </h1> + <h2> + By Mary Russell Mitford + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <br /> + </p> + <p> + Three years ago, Hannah Colson was, beyond all manner of dispute, the + prettiest girl in Aberleigh. It was a rare union of face, form, + complexion, and expression. Of that just height, which, although certainly + tall, would yet hardly be called so, her figure united to its youthful + roundness, and still more youthful lightness, an airy flexibility, a + bounding grace, and when in repose, a gentle dignity, which alternately + reminded one of a fawn bounding through the forest, or a swan at rest upon + the lake. A sculptor would have modelled her for the youngest of the + Graces; whilst a painter, caught by the bright colouring of that fair + blooming face, the white forehead so vividly contrasted by the masses of + dark curls, the jet-black eyebrows, and long rich eyelashes, which shaded + her finely-cut grey eye, and the pearly teeth disclosed by the scarlet + lips, whose every movement was an unconscious smile, would doubtless have + selected her for the very goddess of youth. Beyond all question, Hannah + Colson, at eighteen, was the beauty of Aberleigh, and, unfortunately, no + inhabitant of that populous village was more thoroughly aware that she was + so than the fair damsel herself. + </p> + <p> + Her late father, good Master Colson, had been all his life a respectable + and flourishing master bricklayer in the place. Many a man with less + pretensions to the title would call himself a builder now-a-days, or "by'r + lady," an architect, and put forth a flaming card, vaunting his + accomplishments in the mason's craft, his skill in plans and elevations, + and his unparalleled dispatch and cheapness in carrying his designs into + execution. But John Colson was no new-fangled personage. A plain honest + tradesman was our bricklayer, and thoroughly of the old school; one who + did his duty to his employers with punctual industry, who was never above + his calling, a good son, a good brother, a good husband, and an excellent + father, who trained up a large family in the way they should go, and never + entered a public-house in his life. + </p> + <p> + The loss of this invaluable parent about three years before had been the + only grief that Hannah Colson had known. But as her father, although + loving her with the mixture of pride and fondness, which her remarkable + beauty, her delightful gaiety, and the accident of her being by many years + the youngest of his children, rendered natural, if not excusable, had yet + been the only one about her, who had discernment to perceive, and + authority to check her little ebullitions of vanity and self-will; she + felt, as soon as the first natural tears were wiped away, that a restraint + had been removed, and, scarcely knowing why, was too soon consoled for the + greatest misfortune that could possibly have befallen one so dangerously + gifted. Her mother was a kind, good, gentle woman, who having by necessity + worked hard in the early part of her life, still continued the practice, + partly from inclination, partly from a sense of duty, and partly from mere + habit, and amongst her many excellent qualities had the Ailie Dinmont + propensity of giving all her children their own way,* especially this the + blooming cadette of the family: and her eldest brother, a bachelor,—who, + succeeding to his father's business, took his place as master of the + house, retaining his surviving parent as its mistress, and his pretty + sister as something between a plaything and a pet, both in their several + ways seemed vying with each other as to which should most thoroughly + humour and indulge the lovely creature whom nature had already done her + best or her worst to spoil to their hands. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + * "Eh, poor things, what else have I to give them?" This + reply of Ailie Dinmont, and indeed her whole sweet + character, short though it be, has always seemed to me the + finest female sketch in the Waverly Novels—finer even, + because so much tenderer, than the bold and honest Jeanie + Deans. +</pre> + <p> + Her other brothers and sisters, married and dispersed over the country, + had of course no authority, even if they had wished to assume anything + like power over the graceful and charming young woman whom every one + belonging to her felt to be an object of pride and delight; so that their + presents and caresses and smiling invitations aided in strengthening + Hannah's impression, poor girl though she were, that her little world, the + small horizon of her own secluded hamlet, was made for her, and for her + only; and if this persuasion had needed any additional confirmation, such + confirmation would have been found in the universal admiration of the + village beaux, and the envy, almost as general, of the village belles, + particularly in the latter; the envy of rival beauties being, as every + body knows, of all flatteries the most piquant and seducing—in a + word, the most genuine and real. The only person from whom Hannah Colson + ever heard that rare thing called truth, was her friend and school-fellow, + Lucy Meadows, a young woman two or three years older than herself in + actual age, and half a lifetime more advanced in the best fruits of mature + age, in clearness of judgment, and steadiness of conduct. + </p> + <p> + A greater contrast of manner and character than that exhibited between the + light-headed and light-hearted beauty, and her mild and quiet companion + could hardly be imagined. Lucy was pretty too, very pretty; but it was the + calm, sedate, composed expression, the pure alabaster complexion, the soft + dove-like eye, the general harmony and delicacy of feature and of form + that we so often observe in a female <i>Friend</i>; and her low gentle + voice, her retiring deportment, and quaker-like simplicity of dress were + in perfect accordance with that impression. Her clearness of intellect, + also, and rectitude of understanding, were such as are often found amongst + that intelligent race of people; although there was an intuitive + perception of character and motive, a fineness of observation under that + demure and modest exterior, that, if Lucy had ever in her life been ten + miles from her native village, might have been called knowledge of the + world. + </p> + <p> + How she came by this quality, which some women seem to possess by + instinct, Heaven only knows! Her early gravity of manner, and sedateness + of mind, might be more easily accounted for. Poor Lucy was an orphan, and + had from the age of fourteen been called upon to keep house for her only + brother, a young man of seven or eight-and-twenty, well to do in the + world, who, as the principal carpenter of Aberleigh, had had much + intercourse with the Colsons in the way of business, and was on the most + friendly terms with the whole family. + </p> + <p> + With one branch of that family James Meadows would fain have been upon + terms nearer and dearer than those of friendship. Even before John + Colson's death, his love for Hannah, although not openly avowed, had been + the object of remark to the whole village; and it is certain that the fond + and anxious father found his last moments soothed by the hope that the + happiness and prosperity of his favourite child were secured by the + attachment of one so excellent in character and respectable in situation. + </p> + <p> + James Meadows was indeed a man to whom any father would have confided his + dearest and loveliest daughter with untroubled confidence. He joined to + the calm good sense and quiet observation that distinguished his sister, + an inventive and constructive power, which, turned as it was to the + purposes of his own trade, rendered him a most ingenious and dexterous + mechanic; and which only needed the spur of emulation, or the still more + active stimulus of personal ambition, to procure for him high distinction + in any line to which his extraordinary faculty of invention and + combination might be applied. + </p> + <p> + Ambition, however, he had none. He was happily quite free from that + tormenting taskmaster, who, next perhaps to praise, makes the severest + demand on human faculty, and human labour. To maintain in the spot where + he was born, the character for honesty, independence, and industry, that + his father had borne before him, to support in credit and comfort the + sister whom he loved so well, and one whom he loved still better, formed + the safe and humble boundary of his wishes. But with the contrariety with + which fortune so often seems to pursue those who do not follow her, his + success far outstripped his moderate desires. The neighbouring gentlemen + soon discovered his talent. Employment poured in upon him. His taste + proved to be equal to his skill; and from the ornamental out-door work—the + Swiss cottages, and fancy dairies, the treillage and the rustic seats + belonging to a great country place,—to the most delicate mouldings + of the boudoir and the saloon, nothing went well that wanted the guiding + eye and finishing hand of James Meadows. The best workmen were proud to be + employed by him; the most respectable yeomen offered their sons as his + apprentices; and without any such design on his part, our village + carpenter was in a fair way to become one of the wealthiest tradesmen in + the county. + </p> + <p> + His personal character and peculiarly modest and respectful manners + contributed not a little to his popularity with his superiors. He was a + fair slender young man, with a pale complexion, a composed but expressive + countenance, a thoughtful, 'deep-set',: grey eye, and a remarkably fine head, + with a profusion of curling brown hair, which gave a distinguished air to + his whole appearance; so that he was constantly taken by strangers for a + gentleman; and the gentle propriety with which he was accustomed to + correct the mistake was such as seldom failed to heighten their estimation + of the individual, whilst it set them right as to his station. Hannah + Colson, with all her youthful charms, might think herself a lucky damsel + in securing the affections of such a lover as this; and that she did + actually think so was the persuasion of those who knew her best—of + her mother, of her brother William, and of Lucy Meadows; although the coy, + fantastic beauty, shy as a ring-dove, wild as a fawn of the forest, was so + far from confessing any return of affection, that whilst suffering his + attentions, and accepting his escort to the rural gaieties which beseemed + her age, she would now profess, even while hanging on his arm, her + intention of never marrying, and now coquet before his eyes with some + passing admirer whom she had never seen before. She took good care, + however, not to go too far in her coquetry, or to flirt twice with the + same person; and so contrived to temper her resolutions against matrimony + with "nods and becks and wreathed smiles," that, modest as he was by + nature, and that natural modesty enhanced by the diffidence which belongs + to a deep and ardent passion, James Meadows himself saw no real cause for + fear in the pretty petulance of his fair mistress, in a love of power so + full of playful grace that it seemed rather a charm than a fault, and in a + blushing reluctance to change her maiden state, and lose her maiden + freedom, which had in his eyes all the attractions of youthful + shamefaced-ness. That she would eventually be his own dear wife, James + entertained no manner of doubt; and, pleased with all that pleased her, + was not unwilling to prolong the happy days of courtship. + </p> + <p> + In this humour Lucy had left him, when, towards the end of May, she had + gone for the first time to spend a few weeks with some relations in + London. Her cousins were kind and wealthy; and, much pleased with the + modest intelligence of their young kinswoman, they exerted themselves to + render their house agreeable to her, and to show her the innumerable + sights of the Queen of Cities. So that her stay, being urged by James, + who, thoroughly unselfish, rejoiced to find his sister so well amused, was + prolonged to the end of July, when, alarmed at the total cessation of + letters from Hannah, and at the constrained and dispirited tone which she + discovered, or fancied that she discovered in her brother's, Lucy resolved + to hasten home. + </p> + <p> + He received her with his usual gentle kindness and his sweet and + thoughtful smile; assured her that he was well; exerted himself more than + usual to talk, and waived away her anxious questions by extorting from her + an account of her journey and her residence, of all that she had seen, and + of her own feelings on returning to her country home after so long a + sojourn in the splendid and beautiful metropolis. He talked more than was + usual with him; and more gaily; but still Lucy was dissatisfied. The hand + that had pressed hers on alighting was cold as death; the lip that had + kissed her fair brow was pale and trembling; his appetite was gone, and + his frequent and apparently unconscious habit of pushing away the + clustering curls from his forehead proved, as plainly as words could have + done, that there was pain in the throbbing temples. The pulsation was even + visible; but still he denied that he was ill, and declared that her notion + of his having grown thin and pale was nothing but a woman's fancy,—the + fond whim of a fond sister. + </p> + <p> + To escape from the subject he took her into the garden,—her own + pretty flower garden, divided by a wall covered with creepers from the + larger plot of ground devoted to vegetables, and bounded on one side by + buildings connected with his trade, and parted on the other from a + well-stored timber-yard, by a beautiful rustic screen of fir and oak and + birch with the bark on, which terminating in a graceful curve at the end + next the house, and at that leading to the garden in a projecting gothic + porch,—partly covered by climbing plants, partly broken by tall + pyramidal hollyhocks, and magnificent dahlias, and backed by a clump of + tall elms, formed a most graceful veil to an unsightly object. This screen + had been erected during Lucy's absence, and without her knowledge; and her + brother smiling at the delight which she expressed, pointed out to her the + splendid beauty of her flowers and the luxuriant profusion of their + growth. + </p> + <p> + The old buildings matted with roses, honeysuckles, and jessamines, broken + only by the pretty out-door room which Lucy called her greenhouse; the + pile of variously tinted geraniums in front of that prettiest room; the + wall garlanded, covered, hidden with interwoven myrtles, fuschias, + passion-flowers, clematis, and the silky blossoms of the grandiflora pea; + the beds filled with dahlias, salvias, calceolarias, and carnations of + every hue, with the rich purple and the pure white petunia, with the + many-coloured marvel of Peru, with the enamelled blue of the Siberian + larkspur, with the richly scented changeable lupine, with the glowing + lavatera, the dark-eyed hybiscus, the pure and alabaster cup of the white + Oenothera, the lilac clusters of the phlox, and the delicate blossom of + the yellow sultan, most elegant amongst flowers;—all these, with a + hundred other plants too long to name, and all their various greens, and + the pet weed mignionette growing like grass in a meadow, and mingling its + aromatic odour amongst the general fragrance—all this sweetness and + beauty glowing in the evening sun, and breathing of freshness and of cool + air, came with such a thrill of delight upon the poor village maiden, who, + in spite of her admiration of London, had languished in its heat and noise + and dirt, for the calm and quiet, the green leaves and the bright flowers + of her country home, that, from the very fulness of her heart, from joy + and gratitude and tenderness and anxiety, she flung her arms round her + brother's neck and burst into tears. + </p> + <p> + Lucy was usually so calm and self-commanded, that such an ebullition of + feeling from her astonished and affected James Meadows more than any + words, however tender. He pressed her to his heart, and when, following up + the train of her own thoughts,—sure that this kind brother, who had + done so much to please her was himself unhappy, guessing, and longing, and + yet fearing to know the cause,—when Lucy, agitated by such feelings, + ventured to whisper "Hannah?" her brother placing her gently on the steps + leading to the green-house, and leaning himself against the open door, + began in a low and subdued tone to pour out his whole heart to his + sympathising auditress. The story was nearly such as she had been led to + expect from the silence of one party, and the distress of the other. A + rival—a most unworthy rival—had appeared upon the scene; and + James Meadows, besides the fear of losing the lovely creature whom he had + loved so fondly, had the additional grief of believing that the man whose + flatteries had at least gained from her a flattering hearing, was of all + others the least likely to make her respectable and happy.—Much + misery may be comprised in few words. Poor James's story was soon told. + </p> + <p> + A young and gay Baronet had, as Lucy knew, taken the manor-house and manor + of Aberleigh: and during her absence, a part of his retinue with a train + of dogs and horses had established themselves in the mansion, in + preparation for their master's arrival. Amongst these new comers, by far + the most showy and important was the head keeper, Edward Forester, a fine + looking young man, with a tall, firm, upright figure, a clear dark + complexion, bright black eyes, a smile alternately winning and scornful, + and a prodigious fluency of speech, and readiness of compliment. He fell + in love with Hannah at first sight, and declared his passion the same + afternoon; and, although discouraged by every one about her, never failed + to parade before her mother's house two or three times a-day, mounted on + his master's superb blood-horse, to waylay her in her walks, and to come + across her in her visits. Go where she might, Hannah was sure to encounter + Edward Forester; and this devotion from one whose personal attractions + extorted as much admiration from the lasses, her companions, as she + herself had been used to excite amongst the country lads, had in it, in + spite of its ostentatious openness, a flattery that seemed irresistible. + </p> + <p> + "I do not think she loves him, Lucy," said James Meadows, sighingly; + "indeed I am sure that she does not. She is dazzled by his showiness and + his fluency, his horsemanship and his dancing; but love him she does not. + It is fascination, such a fascination as leads a moth to flutter round a + candle, or a bird to drop into the rattlesnake's mouth,—and never + was flame more dangerous, or serpent more deadly. He is unworthy of her, + Lucy,—thoroughly unworthy. This man, who calls himself devoted to a + creature as innocent as she is lovely,—who pretends to feel a pure + and genuine passion for this pure and too-believing girl, passes his + evenings, his nights, in drinking, in gambling, in debauchery of the + lowest and most degrading nature. He is doubtless at this very instant at + the wretched beer-shop at the corner of the common—the haunt of all + that is wicked, and corrupter of all that is frail, 'The Foaming Tankard'. + It is there, in the noble game of Four Corners, that the man who aspires + to the love of Hannah Colson passes his hours.—Lucy, do you remember + the exquisite story of Phoebe Dawson, in Crabbe's Parish Register?—such + as she was, will Hannah be. I could resign her, Heaven knows, grievous as + the loss would be, to one whom she loved, and who would ensure her + happiness. But to give her up to Edward Forester—the very thought is + madness!" + </p> + <p> + "Surely, brother, she cannot know that he is so unworthy! surely, surely, + when she is convinced that he is so, she will throw him off like an + infected garment! I know Hannah well. She would be protected from such an + one as you describe, as well by pride as by purity. She cannot be aware of + these propensities." + </p> + <p> + "She has been told of them repeatedly; but he denies the accusation, and + she rather believes his denial than the assertion of her best friends. + Knowing Hannah as you do, Lucy, you cannot but remember the petulant + self-will, the scorn of contradiction and opposition, which used half to + vex and half to amuse us in the charming spoilt child. We little dreamt + how dangerous that fault, almost diverting in trifles, might become in the + serious business of life. Her mother and brother are my warm advocates, + and the determined opponents of my rival; and therefore, to assert what + she calls her independence and her disinterestedness, (for with this sweet + perverse creature the worldly prosperity which I valued chiefly for her + sake makes against me,) she will fling herself away on one wholly unworthy + of her, one whom she does not even love, and with whom her whole life will + be a scene of degradation and misery." + </p> + <p> + "Will he be to-night at the Foaming Tankard?" + </p> + <p> + "He is there every night!" + </p> + <p> + At this point of their conversation the brother was called away; and Lucy, + after a little consideration, tied on her bonnet, and walked to Mrs. + Colson's. + </p> + <p> + Her welcome from William Colson and his mother was as cordial and hearty + as ever, perhaps more so; Hannah's greetings were affectionate, but + constrained. Not to receive Lucy kindly was impossible; and yet her own + internal consciousness rendered poor Lucy, next perhaps to her brother, + the very last person whom she would have desired to see; and this + uncomfortable feeling increased to a painful degree, when the fond sister, + with some diminution of her customary gentleness, spoke to her openly of + her conduct to James, and repeated with strong and earnest reprehension, + all that she had heard of the conduct and pursuits of her new admirer. + </p> + <p> + "He frequent the Foaming Tankard! He drink to intoxication! He play for + days and nights at Four Corners! It is a vile slander! I would, answer for + it with my life! He told me this very day that he has never even entered + that den of infamy." + </p> + <p> + "I believe him to be there at this very hour," replied Lucy, calmly. And + Hannah, excited to the highest point of anger and agitation, dared Lucy to + the instant proof, invited her to go with her at once to the beer-house, + and offered to abandon all thoughts of Edward Forester if he proved to be + there. Lucy, willing enough to place the fate of the cause on that issue, + prepared to accompany her; and the two girls were so engrossed by the + importance of their errand, that they did not even hear Mrs. Colson's + terrified remonstrance, who vainly endeavoured to detain or recal them by + assurances that smallpox of the confluent sort was in the house; and that + she had heard only that very afternoon, that a young woman, vaccinated at + the same time, and by the same person with her Hannah, lay dead in one of + the rooms of the Foaming Tankard. + </p> + <p> + Not listening to, not even hearing her mother, Hannah walked with the + desperate speed of passion through the village street, up the winding + hill, across the common, along the avenue; and reached in less time than + seemed possible the open grove of oaks, in one corner of which this + obnoxious beer-house, the torment and puzzle of the magistrates, and the + pest of the parish, was situated. There was no sign of death or sickness + about the place. The lights from the tap-room and the garden, along one + side of which the alley for four-corners was erected, gleamed in the + darkness of a moonless summer night between the trees; and even farther + than the streaming light, pierced the loud oaths and louder laughter, the + shouts of triumph, and the yells of defeat, mixed with the dull heavy + blows of the large wooden bowl, from the drunken gamesters in the alley. + </p> + <p> + Hannah started as she heard one voice; but, determined to proceed, she + passed straight through the garden-gate, and rushed hastily on to the open + shed where the players were assembled. There, stripped of his coat and + waistcoat, in all the agony of an intoxicated gambler, stood Edward + Forester, in the act of staking his gold-laced hat upon the next cast. He + threw and lost; and casting from him with a furious oath the massive + wooden ball, struck, in his blind frenzy, the lovely creature transfixed + in silent horror at the side of the alley, who fell with the blow, and was + carried for dead into the Foaming Tankard. + </p> + <p> + Hannah did not, however, die; although her left arm was broken, her + shoulder dislocated, and much injury inflicted by the fall. She lived, and + she still lives, but no longer as the Beauty of the Village. Her fine + shape injured by the blow, and her fair face disfigured by the smallpox, + she can no longer boast the surpassing loveliness which obtained for her + the title of the Rose of Aberleigh. And yet she has gained more than she + has lost, even in mere attraction; the vain coquettish girl is become a + sweet and gentle woman; gaiety has been replaced by sensibility, and the + sauciness of conscious power, by the modest wish to please. In her long + and dangerous illness, her slow and doubtful convalescence, Hannah learnt + the difficult lesson to acknowledge and to amend her own faults; and when, + after many scruples on the score of her changed person and impaired + health, she became the happy wife of James Meadows, she brought to him, in + a corrected temper and purified heart, a dowry far more precious in his + mind than the transient beauty which had been her only charm in the eyes + of Edward Forester. + </p> + <div style="height: 6em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Beauty Of The Village, by Mary Russell Mitford + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BEAUTY OF THE VILLAGE *** + +***** This file should be named 22845-h.htm or 22845-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/8/4/22845/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + </body> +</html> diff --git a/22845.txt b/22845.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3be61b5 --- /dev/null +++ b/22845.txt @@ -0,0 +1,800 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Beauty Of The Village, by Mary Russell Mitford + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Beauty Of The Village + +Author: Mary Russell Mitford + +Release Date: October 2, 2007 [EBook #22845] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BEAUTY OF THE VILLAGE *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +THE BEAUTY OF THE VILLAGE + +By Mary Russell Mitford + + +Three years ago, Hannah Colson was, beyond all manner of dispute, +the prettiest girl in Aberleigh. It was a rare union of face, form, +complexion, and expression. Of that just height, which, although +certainly tall, would yet hardly be called so, her figure united to +its youthful roundness, and still more youthful lightness, an airy +flexibility, a bounding grace, and when in repose, a gentle dignity, +which alternately reminded one of a fawn bounding through the forest, or +a swan at rest upon the lake. A sculptor would have modelled her for the +youngest of the Graces; whilst a painter, caught by the bright colouring +of that fair blooming face, the white forehead so vividly contrasted +by the masses of dark curls, the jet-black eyebrows, and long rich +eyelashes, which shaded her finely-cut grey eye, and the pearly teeth +disclosed by the scarlet lips, whose every movement was an unconscious +smile, would doubtless have selected her for the very goddess of youth. +Beyond all question, Hannah Colson, at eighteen, was the beauty of +Aberleigh, and, unfortunately, no inhabitant of that populous village +was more thoroughly aware that she was so than the fair damsel herself. + +Her late father, good Master Colson, had been all his life a respectable +and flourishing master bricklayer in the place. Many a man with less +pretensions to the title would call himself a builder now-a-days, or +"by'r lady," an architect, and put forth a flaming card, vaunting his +accomplishments in the mason's craft, his skill in plans and elevations, +and his unparalleled dispatch and cheapness in carrying his designs into +execution. But John Colson was no new-fangled personage. A plain honest +tradesman was our bricklayer, and thoroughly of the old school; one +who did his duty to his employers with punctual industry, who was never +above his calling, a good son, a good brother, a good husband, and an +excellent father, who trained up a large family in the way they should +go, and never entered a public-house in his life. + +The loss of this invaluable parent about three years before had been +the only grief that Hannah Colson had known. But as her father, although +loving her with the mixture of pride and fondness, which her remarkable +beauty, her delightful gaiety, and the accident of her being by many +years the youngest of his children, rendered natural, if not excusable, +had yet been the only one about her, who had discernment to perceive, +and authority to check her little ebullitions of vanity and self-will; +she felt, as soon as the first natural tears were wiped away, that a +restraint had been removed, and, scarcely knowing why, was too soon +consoled for the greatest misfortune that could possibly have befallen +one so dangerously gifted. Her mother was a kind, good, gentle woman, +who having by necessity worked hard in the early part of her life, still +continued the practice, partly from inclination, partly from a sense +of duty, and partly from mere habit, and amongst her many excellent +qualities had the Ailie Dinmont propensity of giving all her children +their own way,* especially this the blooming cadette of the family: +and her eldest brother, a bachelor,--who, succeeding to his father's +business, took his place as master of the house, retaining his surviving +parent as its mistress, and his pretty sister as something between a +plaything and a pet, both in their several ways seemed vying with each +other as to which should most thoroughly humour and indulge the lovely +creature whom nature had already done her best or her worst to spoil to +their hands. + + * "Eh, poor things, what else have I to give them?" This + reply of Ailie Dinmont, and indeed her whole sweet + character, short though it be, has always seemed to me the + finest female sketch in the Waverly Novels--finer even, + because so much tenderer, than the bold and honest Jeanie + Deans. + +Her other brothers and sisters, married and dispersed over the country, +had of course no authority, even if they had wished to assume anything +like power over the graceful and charming young woman whom every one +belonging to her felt to be an object of pride and delight; so +that their presents and caresses and smiling invitations aided in +strengthening Hannah's impression, poor girl though she were, that her +little world, the small horizon of her own secluded hamlet, was made for +her, and for her only; and if this persuasion had needed any additional +confirmation, such confirmation would have been found in the universal +admiration of the village beaux, and the envy, almost as general, of the +village belles, particularly in the latter; the envy of rival beauties +being, as every body knows, of all flatteries the most piquant and +seducing--in a word, the most genuine and real. The only person from +whom Hannah Colson ever heard that rare thing called truth, was her +friend and school-fellow, Lucy Meadows, a young woman two or three years +older than herself in actual age, and half a lifetime more advanced in +the best fruits of mature age, in clearness of judgment, and steadiness +of conduct. + +A greater contrast of manner and character than that exhibited between +the light-headed and light-hearted beauty, and her mild and quiet +companion could hardly be imagined. Lucy was pretty too, very pretty; +but it was the calm, sedate, composed expression, the pure alabaster +complexion, the soft dove-like eye, the general harmony and delicacy of +feature and of form that we so often observe in a female _Friend_; +and her low gentle voice, her retiring deportment, and quaker-like +simplicity of dress were in perfect accordance with that impression. Her +clearness of intellect, also, and rectitude of understanding, were such +as are often found amongst that intelligent race of people; although +there was an intuitive perception of character and motive, a fineness +of observation under that demure and modest exterior, that, if Lucy had +ever in her life been ten miles from her native village, might have been +called knowledge of the world. + +How she came by this quality, which some women seem to possess by +instinct, Heaven only knows! Her early gravity of manner, and sedateness +of mind, might be more easily accounted for. Poor Lucy was an orphan, +and had from the age of fourteen been called upon to keep house for her +only brother, a young man of seven or eight-and-twenty, well to do in +the world, who, as the principal carpenter of Aberleigh, had had much +intercourse with the Colsons in the way of business, and was on the most +friendly terms with the whole family. + +With one branch of that family James Meadows would fain have been upon +terms nearer and dearer than those of friendship. Even before John +Colson's death, his love for Hannah, although not openly avowed, had +been the object of remark to the whole village; and it is certain that +the fond and anxious father found his last moments soothed by the hope +that the happiness and prosperity of his favourite child were secured +by the attachment of one so excellent in character and respectable in +situation. + +James Meadows was indeed a man to whom any father would have confided +his dearest and loveliest daughter with untroubled confidence. He joined +to the calm good sense and quiet observation that distinguished his +sister, an inventive and constructive power, which, turned as it was +to the purposes of his own trade, rendered him a most ingenious and +dexterous mechanic; and which only needed the spur of emulation, or the +still more active stimulus of personal ambition, to procure for him high +distinction in any line to which his extraordinary faculty of invention +and combination might be applied. + +Ambition, however, he had none. He was happily quite free from that +tormenting taskmaster, who, next perhaps to praise, makes the severest +demand on human faculty, and human labour. To maintain in the spot where +he was born, the character for honesty, independence, and industry, that +his father had borne before him, to support in credit and comfort the +sister whom he loved so well, and one whom he loved still better, formed +the safe and humble boundary of his wishes. But with the contrariety +with which fortune so often seems to pursue those who do not follow +her, his success far outstripped his moderate desires. The neighbouring +gentlemen soon discovered his talent. Employment poured in upon him. His +taste proved to be equal to his skill; and from the ornamental out-door +work--the Swiss cottages, and fancy dairies, the treillage and the +rustic seats belonging to a great country place,--to the most delicate +mouldings of the boudoir and the saloon, nothing went well that wanted +the guiding eye and finishing hand of James Meadows. The best workmen +were proud to be employed by him; the most respectable yeomen offered +their sons as his apprentices; and without any such design on his part, +our village carpenter was in a fair way to become one of the wealthiest +tradesmen in the county. + +His personal character and peculiarly modest and respectful manners +contributed not a little to his popularity with his superiors. He was +a fair slender young man, with a pale complexion, a composed but +expressive countenance, a thoughtful, 'deep-set,' grey eye, and a +remarkably fine head, with a profusion of curling brown hair, which gave +a distinguished air to his whole appearance; so that he was constantly +taken by strangers for a gentleman; and the gentle propriety with which +he was accustomed to correct the mistake was such as seldom failed to +heighten their estimation of the individual, whilst it set them right as +to his station. Hannah Colson, with all her youthful charms, might think +herself a lucky damsel in securing the affections of such a lover as +this; and that she did actually think so was the persuasion of those +who knew her best--of her mother, of her brother William, and of Lucy +Meadows; although the coy, fantastic beauty, shy as a ring-dove, wild +as a fawn of the forest, was so far from confessing any return of +affection, that whilst suffering his attentions, and accepting his +escort to the rural gaieties which beseemed her age, she would now +profess, even while hanging on his arm, her intention of never marrying, +and now coquet before his eyes with some passing admirer whom she had +never seen before. She took good care, however, not to go too far in her +coquetry, or to flirt twice with the same person; and so contrived +to temper her resolutions against matrimony with "nods and becks and +wreathed smiles," that, modest as he was by nature, and that natural +modesty enhanced by the diffidence which belongs to a deep and ardent +passion, James Meadows himself saw no real cause for fear in the pretty +petulance of his fair mistress, in a love of power so full of playful +grace that it seemed rather a charm than a fault, and in a blushing +reluctance to change her maiden state, and lose her maiden freedom, +which had in his eyes all the attractions of youthful shamefaced-ness. +That she would eventually be his own dear wife, James entertained +no manner of doubt; and, pleased with all that pleased her, was not +unwilling to prolong the happy days of courtship. + +In this humour Lucy had left him, when, towards the end of May, she +had gone for the first time to spend a few weeks with some relations in +London. Her cousins were kind and wealthy; and, much pleased with the +modest intelligence of their young kinswoman, they exerted themselves +to render their house agreeable to her, and to show her the innumerable +sights of the Queen of Cities. So that her stay, being urged by James, +who, thoroughly unselfish, rejoiced to find his sister so well amused, +was prolonged to the end of July, when, alarmed at the total cessation +of letters from Hannah, and at the constrained and dispirited tone which +she discovered, or fancied that she discovered in her brother's, Lucy +resolved to hasten home. + +He received her with his usual gentle kindness and his sweet and +thoughtful smile; assured her that he was well; exerted himself more +than usual to talk, and waived away her anxious questions by extorting +from her an account of her journey and her residence, of all that she +had seen, and of her own feelings on returning to her country home after +so long a sojourn in the splendid and beautiful metropolis. He talked +more than was usual with him; and more gaily; but still Lucy was +dissatisfied. The hand that had pressed hers on alighting was cold as +death; the lip that had kissed her fair brow was pale and trembling; his +appetite was gone, and his frequent and apparently unconscious habit of +pushing away the clustering curls from his forehead proved, as plainly +as words could have done, that there was pain in the throbbing temples. +The pulsation was even visible; but still he denied that he was ill, and +declared that her notion of his having grown thin and pale was nothing +but a woman's fancy,--the fond whim of a fond sister. + +To escape from the subject he took her into the garden,--her own pretty +flower garden, divided by a wall covered with creepers from the larger +plot of ground devoted to vegetables, and bounded on one side by +buildings connected with his trade, and parted on the other from a +well-stored timber-yard, by a beautiful rustic screen of fir and oak and +birch with the bark on, which terminating in a graceful curve at the end +next the house, and at that leading to the garden in a projecting +gothic porch,--partly covered by climbing plants, partly broken by tall +pyramidal hollyhocks, and magnificent dahlias, and backed by a clump +of tall elms, formed a most graceful veil to an unsightly object. +This screen had been erected during Lucy's absence, and without her +knowledge; and her brother smiling at the delight which she expressed, +pointed out to her the splendid beauty of her flowers and the luxuriant +profusion of their growth. + +The old buildings matted with roses, honeysuckles, and jessamines, +broken only by the pretty out-door room which Lucy called her +greenhouse; the pile of variously tinted geraniums in front of that +prettiest room; the wall garlanded, covered, hidden with interwoven +myrtles, fuschias, passion-flowers, clematis, and the silky blossoms +of the grandiflora pea; the beds filled with dahlias, salvias, +calceolarias, and carnations of every hue, with the rich purple and +the pure white petunia, with the many-coloured marvel of Peru, with +the enamelled blue of the Siberian larkspur, with the richly scented +changeable lupine, with the glowing lavatera, the dark-eyed hybiscus, +the pure and alabaster cup of the white Oenothera, the lilac clusters of +the phlox, and the delicate blossom of the yellow sultan, most elegant +amongst flowers;--all these, with a hundred other plants too long to +name, and all their various greens, and the pet weed mignionette growing +like grass in a meadow, and mingling its aromatic odour amongst the +general fragrance--all this sweetness and beauty glowing in the evening +sun, and breathing of freshness and of cool air, came with such a thrill +of delight upon the poor village maiden, who, in spite of her admiration +of London, had languished in its heat and noise and dirt, for the calm +and quiet, the green leaves and the bright flowers of her country home, +that, from the very fulness of her heart, from joy and gratitude and +tenderness and anxiety, she flung her arms round her brother's neck and +burst into tears. + +Lucy was usually so calm and self-commanded, that such an ebullition of +feeling from her astonished and affected James Meadows more than any +words, however tender. He pressed her to his heart, and when, following +up the train of her own thoughts,--sure that this kind brother, who had +done so much to please her was himself unhappy, guessing, and longing, +and yet fearing to know the cause,--when Lucy, agitated by such +feelings, ventured to whisper "Hannah?" her brother placing her gently +on the steps leading to the green-house, and leaning himself against the +open door, began in a low and subdued tone to pour out his whole heart +to his sympathising auditress. The story was nearly such as she had been +led to expect from the silence of one party, and the distress of the +other. A rival--a most unworthy rival--had appeared upon the scene; and +James Meadows, besides the fear of losing the lovely creature whom he +had loved so fondly, had the additional grief of believing that the man +whose flatteries had at least gained from her a flattering hearing, was +of all others the least likely to make her respectable and happy.--Much +misery may be comprised in few words. Poor James's story was soon told. + +A young and gay Baronet had, as Lucy knew, taken the manor-house and +manor of Aberleigh: and during her absence, a part of his retinue with +a train of dogs and horses had established themselves in the mansion, in +preparation for their master's arrival. Amongst these new comers, by far +the most showy and important was the head keeper, Edward Forester, a +fine looking young man, with a tall, firm, upright figure, a clear dark +complexion, bright black eyes, a smile alternately winning and scornful, +and a prodigious fluency of speech, and readiness of compliment. He fell +in love with Hannah at first sight, and declared his passion the same +afternoon; and, although discouraged by every one about her, never +failed to parade before her mother's house two or three times a-day, +mounted on his master's superb blood-horse, to waylay her in her walks, +and to come across her in her visits. Go where she might, Hannah was +sure to encounter Edward Forester; and this devotion from one whose +personal attractions extorted as much admiration from the lasses, her +companions, as she herself had been used to excite amongst the country +lads, had in it, in spite of its ostentatious openness, a flattery that +seemed irresistible. + +"I do not think she loves him, Lucy," said James Meadows, sighingly; +"indeed I am sure that she does not. She is dazzled by his showiness and +his fluency, his horsemanship and his dancing; but love him she does not. +It is fascination, such a fascination as leads a moth to flutter round +a candle, or a bird to drop into the rattlesnake's mouth,--and never was +flame more dangerous, or serpent more deadly. He is unworthy of her, +Lucy,--thoroughly unworthy. This man, who calls himself devoted to a +creature as innocent as she is lovely,--who pretends to feel a pure +and genuine passion for this pure and too-believing girl, passes his +evenings, his nights, in drinking, in gambling, in debauchery of the +lowest and most degrading nature. He is doubtless at this very instant +at the wretched beer-shop at the corner of the common--the haunt of +all that is wicked, and corrupter of all that is frail, 'The Foaming +Tankard'. It is there, in the noble game of Four Corners, that the man +who aspires to the love of Hannah Colson passes his hours.--Lucy, do +you remember the exquisite story of Phoebe Dawson, in Crabbe's Parish +Register?--such as she was, will Hannah be. I could resign her, Heaven +knows, grievous as the loss would be, to one whom she loved, and who +would ensure her happiness. But to give her up to Edward Forester--the +very thought is madness!" + +"Surely, brother, she cannot know that he is so unworthy! surely, +surely, when she is convinced that he is so, she will throw him off like +an infected garment! I know Hannah well. She would be protected from +such an one as you describe, as well by pride as by purity. She cannot +be aware of these propensities." + +"She has been told of them repeatedly; but he denies the accusation, and +she rather believes his denial than the assertion of her best friends. +Knowing Hannah as you do, Lucy, you cannot but remember the petulant +self-will, the scorn of contradiction and opposition, which used half to +vex and half to amuse us in the charming spoilt child. We little dreamt +how dangerous that fault, almost diverting in trifles, might become +in the serious business of life. Her mother and brother are my warm +advocates, and the determined opponents of my rival; and therefore, to +assert what she calls her independence and her disinterestedness, (for +with this sweet perverse creature the worldly prosperity which I valued +chiefly for her sake makes against me,) she will fling herself away on +one wholly unworthy of her, one whom she does not even love, and with +whom her whole life will be a scene of degradation and misery." + +"Will he be to-night at the Foaming Tankard?" + +"He is there every night!" + +At this point of their conversation the brother was called away; and +Lucy, after a little consideration, tied on her bonnet, and walked to +Mrs. Colson's. + +Her welcome from William Colson and his mother was as cordial and hearty +as ever, perhaps more so; Hannah's greetings were affectionate, but +constrained. Not to receive Lucy kindly was impossible; and yet her own +internal consciousness rendered poor Lucy, next perhaps to her brother, +the very last person whom she would have desired to see; and this +uncomfortable feeling increased to a painful degree, when the fond +sister, with some diminution of her customary gentleness, spoke to her +openly of her conduct to James, and repeated with strong and earnest +reprehension, all that she had heard of the conduct and pursuits of her +new admirer. + +"He frequent the Foaming Tankard! He drink to intoxication! He play for +days and nights at Four Corners! It is a vile slander! I would, answer +for it with my life! He told me this very day that he has never even +entered that den of infamy." + +"I believe him to be there at this very hour," replied Lucy, calmly. And +Hannah, excited to the highest point of anger and agitation, dared +Lucy to the instant proof, invited her to go with her at once to the +beer-house, and offered to abandon all thoughts of Edward Forester if he +proved to be there. Lucy, willing enough to place the fate of the cause +on that issue, prepared to accompany her; and the two girls were so +engrossed by the importance of their errand, that they did not even hear +Mrs. Colson's terrified remonstrance, who vainly endeavoured to detain +or recal them by assurances that smallpox of the confluent sort was in +the house; and that she had heard only that very afternoon, that a young +woman, vaccinated at the same time, and by the same person with her +Hannah, lay dead in one of the rooms of the Foaming Tankard. + +Not listening to, not even hearing her mother, Hannah walked with the +desperate speed of passion through the village street, up the winding +hill, across the common, along the avenue; and reached in less time +than seemed possible the open grove of oaks, in one corner of which this +obnoxious beer-house, the torment and puzzle of the magistrates, and the +pest of the parish, was situated. There was no sign of death or sickness +about the place. The lights from the tap-room and the garden, along one +side of which the alley for four-corners was erected, gleamed in the +darkness of a moonless summer night between the trees; and even farther +than the streaming light, pierced the loud oaths and louder laughter, +the shouts of triumph, and the yells of defeat, mixed with the dull +heavy blows of the large wooden bowl, from the drunken gamesters in the +alley. + +Hannah started as she heard one voice; but, determined to proceed, she +passed straight through the garden-gate, and rushed hastily on to the +open shed where the players were assembled. There, stripped of his coat +and waistcoat, in all the agony of an intoxicated gambler, stood Edward +Forester, in the act of staking his gold-laced hat upon the next cast. +He threw and lost; and casting from him with a furious oath the massive +wooden ball, struck, in his blind frenzy, the lovely creature transfixed +in silent horror at the side of the alley, who fell with the blow, and +was carried for dead into the Foaming Tankard. + +Hannah did not, however, die; although her left arm was broken, her +shoulder dislocated, and much injury inflicted by the fall. She lived, +and she still lives, but no longer as the Beauty of the Village. Her +fine shape injured by the blow, and her fair face disfigured by the +smallpox, she can no longer boast the surpassing loveliness which +obtained for her the title of the Rose of Aberleigh. And yet she +has gained more than she has lost, even in mere attraction; the vain +coquettish girl is become a sweet and gentle woman; gaiety has been +replaced by sensibility, and the sauciness of conscious power, by the +modest wish to please. In her long and dangerous illness, her slow +and doubtful convalescence, Hannah learnt the difficult lesson to +acknowledge and to amend her own faults; and when, after many scruples +on the score of her changed person and impaired health, she became the +happy wife of James Meadows, she brought to him, in a corrected temper +and purified heart, a dowry far more precious in his mind than the +transient beauty which had been her only charm in the eyes of Edward +Forester. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Beauty Of The Village, by Mary Russell Mitford + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BEAUTY OF THE VILLAGE *** + +***** This file should be named 22845.txt or 22845.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/8/4/22845/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/22845.zip b/22845.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7cbc835 --- /dev/null +++ b/22845.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4fb6f9e --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #22845 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/22845) |