The History of Henry Esmond, Esq: A Colonel in the Service of Her Majesty Queen Anne, Written by Himself |
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Addison admire aide-de-camp army asked bade beautiful better blush brought Captain child Church coach Colonel Esmond Court Cousin cries daughter Dick Doctor Tusher Dowager Duke enemy England eyes face Father Holt fond Frank French friends gave gentleman Grace hand Harry Esmond Harry's hath heard heart Henry Hexton honor horse Jocasta Kensington kind King kinsman kissed knew Lady Castlewood Ladyship laugh London look Lord Castlewood Lord Marlborough Lord Mohun Lord Viscount Lord's Lordship madam Maid of Honor Majesty mamma Marlborough married Monsieur mother never night periwig poor pretty Prince Prince of Orange quarrel Queen rode says Esmond says my Lord servant smile spoke Steele sure sword talk Thomas Esmond thought told took Trix twas Viscount Castlewood Viscountess Webb Westbury Whig wife window woman word young lord
Popular passages
Page 220 - ... profit a year hence, when other names sound louder than yours, when you lie hidden away under the ground, along with idle titles engraven on your coffin. But only true love lives after you — follows your memory with secret blessing — or precedes you, and intercedes for you. Non omnis...
Page 63 - The first sense of sorrow I ever knew was upon the death of my father, at which time I was not quite five years of age; but was rather amazed at what all the house meant, than possessed with a real understanding why nobody was willing to play with me.
Page 261 - Germain Street, and Dick all of a sudden left his companion's arm, and ran after a gentleman who was poring over a folio volume at the book-shop near to St. James's Church. He was a fair, tall man, in a snuff-coloured suit, with a plain sword, very sober, and almost shabby in appearance...
Page 245 - I have said, this of the godlike in him, that he could see a hero perish or a sparrow fall, with the same amount of sympathy for either. Not that he had no tears: he could always order up this reserve at the proper moment to battle; he could draw upon tears or smiles alike, and whenever need was for using this cheap coin. He would cringe to a shoeblack, as he would flatter a minister or a monarch; be haughty, be humble, threaten, repent, weep, grasp your hand (or stab you whenever he saw occasion)....
Page 483 - Sure, love vincit omnia ; is immeasurably above all ambition, more precious than wealth, more noble than name. He knows not life who knows not that; he hath not felt the highest faculty of the soul who hath not enjoyed it. In the name of my wife I write the completion of hope, and the summit of happiness. To have such a love is the one blessing, in comparison of which all earthly joy is of no value ; and to think of her, is to praise God.
Page 253 - A word of kindness or acknowledgment, or a single glance of approbation, might have changed Esmond's opinion of the great man; and instead of a satire, which his pen cannot help writing, who knows but that the humble historian might have taken the other side of panegyric?
Page 2 - Madame Maintenon, or the barber who shaved him, or Monsieur Fagon, his surgeon ? I wonder shall History ever pull off her periwig and cease to be courtridden ? Shall we see something of France and England besides Versailles and Windsor? I saw Queen Anne at the latter place tearing down the Park slopes, after her stag-hounds, and driving her one-horse chaise — a hot, red-faced woman, not in the least resembling that statue of her which turns its stone back upon St. Paul's, and faces the coaches...
Page 221 - Had we houses of religion as there were once, and many divines of our Church would have them again, I often think I would retire to one and pass my life in penance. But I would love you still — yes, there is no sin in such a love as mine now ; and my dear lord in heaven may see my heart ; and knows the tears that have washed my sin away...
Page 63 - Papa could not hear me, and would play with me no more, for they were going to put him under ground, whence he could never come to us again.
Page 218 - I know it,' she answered in a tone of such sweet humility, as made Esmond repent that he should ever have dared to reproach her. ' I know how wicked my heart has been ; and I have suffered too, my dear. I confessed to Mr. Atterbury — I must not tell any more.