The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900 ... - Gredos

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
[v]
To the Memory
of
The Hon. Mrs. CARRINGTON SMYTHE
(" Aunt Laura ").
I had meant to dedicate my book to this dear kinswoman — I love to think of her as
such, though no ties of blood bound us to each other, for if it be true that the friends of
our friends become our friends, may it not be said, even more emphatically, that those
near and dear to the nearest and dearest of all are bound to us by a bond hardly less
strong than that forged by nature itself?
But besides the link of relationship, besides even my veneration for this most sweet and
gracious embodiment of serene old age, my love for the close friend, my admiration of
the charming woman, I had another reason for my wish to offer her this tribute. She
was, as it were, connected with the book, or rather with one of the personages who plays
a part therein; her father, Lord Stourton, being the intimate friend and adviser of Mrs.
Fitzherbert, the recipient of her confidences, and one of the three
[vi]
trustees of the celebrated papers which still remain at Messrs. Coutts' Bank. It is from
Mrs. Fitzherbert's narrative to Lord Stourton, set down by his hand, and bequeathed by
him to his brother (who subsequently published it), that I am indebted for many details
concerning that unfortunate lady's career.
And now, though the dear Aunt has passed away before I could offer her my work, I
still wish to send it into the world bearing the impress of her name, and enshrining as it
were her memory.
M. B.
[vii]
PART I. The Bending of the Twig... page 1
CONTENTS.