John Inglesant: A Romance (Volume 1 of 2)Shorthouse, J. H. (Joseph Henry)
History
John Inglesant: A Romance (Volume 1 of 2)
Shorthouse, J. H. (Joseph Henry)
Great Britain -- History -- Charles I, 1625-1649 -- Fiction; Religious fiction
Johnny went to his brother, and they left the room together. The two
boys,—as the two children had been,—were remarkably alike; the more so
as this likeness of form and feature, which to a casual observer
appeared exact, was consistent with a very remarkable difference of
expression and manner—the difference being, as it were, contained in the
likeness without destroying it. Their affection for each other, which
continued through life, was something of the same nature, arising
apparently from instinct and nature, apart from inclination. Their
tastes and habits being altogether different, they pursued their several
courses quite contentedly, without an effort to be more united, but once
united, or once recalled to each other’s presence or recollection even
in the most accidental manner, they manifested a violent and
overpowering attachment to each other. On the present occasion they
wandered through the gardens and neighbourhood of the Priory; and as the
strange gentleman had foretold, Johnny took the greatest interest in the
conversation of his brother, whom, indeed, he both now and afterwards
most unfeignedly admired, and to whose patronage he invariably submitted
with perfect satisfaction. Eustace, who had lately been admitted one of
the junior supernumerary pages to the King, talked incessantly of the
King’s state and presence chamber, of the yeomen of the guard, of the
pageants and masques, and of banquets, triumphs, interviews, nuptials,
tilts, and tournaments; the innumerable delights of the city; of the
stage players, tumblers, fiddlers, inn-keepers, fencers, jugglers,
dancers, mountebanks, bear-wardens; of sweet odours and perfumes,
generous wines, the most gallant young men, the fairest ladies, the
rarest beauties the world could afford, the costly and curious attire,
exquisite music, all delights and pleasures which, to please the senses,
could possibly be devised; galleries and terraces, rowing on the Thames,
with music, on a pleasant evening, with the goodly palaces, and the
birds singing on the banks.
All this Johnny listened to with admiration, and made little reply to
his brother’s disparaging remarks on the miserable life he had led in
the country, or to his sage advice to endeavour, by some means, to come
to London to the Court.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account