The history of Henry Earl of Moreland / [Ed. by J.W].

  • Henry Brooke
Date:
[1813]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history of Henry Earl of Moreland / [Ed. by J.W]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    12/504 page 6
    With his lady, he again retreated to the country, where, in less than a year, she made him the exulting father of a fine boy, .whom he called Richard. Richard speedily became the centre of all his mother’s solicitudes and affections. And though, within the space of the two succeeding years, she was delivered of a second boy, yet, as his infant aspect was less promising than his brother’s, she sent him forth to be nursed by the robust wife of a neighbouring farmer, where, for the space of upwards of four years, he was honoured with no token from father or mother, save some casual messages, to know if the child was in health. This boy was called Henry, after his uncle by the father’s side. The Earl had lately sent to London, to make inquiry after his brother, but could learn no tidings concerning him. Meanwhile, the education of the two children was extremely contrasted. Richard, who was always entitled my little lord, was not permitted to breathe the rudeness of th.e wind. On his lightest indisposition the whole house was in alarms; his passions had full scope in all their infant irregularities; his genius was put into a hot- bed, by the warmth of applauses given to every flight of his opening fancy; and the whole family conspired, from the highest to the lowest, to ruin promising talents. Young Harry, on the other hand, had every member as well as feature exposed to all weathers; would run about naked, for near an hour, in a frosty morning; was neither physicked into delicacy, nor flattered into pride ; scarce felt the convenience, and much less understood the vanity, of clothing; and was daily occupied, in play- ing and wrestling with pigs, and two mongrel spaniels, on the dunghill; or in kissing, scratching, or boxing, with the children of the village. When Harry had passed his fifth year, his father, on a festival day, humbly proposed to send for him to his nurse’s, in order to observe how the boy might turn out; and my lady, in a fit of good humour, assented. Nurse, accordingly, decked him out in his holiday petti- coats, and walked with our hero to the great house, as they called it. A brilliant concourse of the neighbouring gentry were met in a vast parlour. The cloth had been lately removed, and glasses and decanters glowed on the table, when in comes young Harry escorted by his nurse. All the eyes of the company were, instantly, drawn upon him ; but he advanced, with a vacant and unobserving physiognomy, mid
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3