Chapter	O
1	O
Sir	O
Walter	O
Elliot	O
,	O
of	O
Kellynch	O
Hall	O
,	O
in	O
Somersetshire	O
,	O
was	O
a	O
man	O
who	O
,	O
for	O
his	O
own	O
amusement	O
,	O
never	O
took	O
up	O
any	O
book	O
but	O
the	O
Baronetage	O
;	O
there	O
he	O
found	O
occupation	O
for	O
an	O
idle	O
hour	O
,	O
and	O
consolation	O
in	O
a	O
distressed	O
one	O
;	O
there	O
his	O
faculties	O
were	O
roused	O
into	O
admiration	O
and	O
respect	O
,	O
by	O
contemplating	O
the	O
limited	O
remnant	O
of	O
the	O
earliest	O
patents	O
;	O
there	O
any	O
unwelcome	O
sensations	O
,	O
arising	O
from	O
domestic	O
affairs	O
changed	O
naturally	O
into	O
pity	O
and	O
contempt	O
as	O
he	O
turned	O
over	O
the	O
almost	O
endless	O
creations	O
of	O
the	O
last	O
century	O
;	O
and	O
there	O
,	O
if	O
every	O
other	O
leaf	O
were	O
powerless	O
,	O
he	O
could	O
read	O
his	O
own	O
history	O
with	O
an	O
interest	O
which	O
never	O
failed	O
.	O

This	O
was	O
the	O
page	O
at	O
which	O
the	O
favourite	O
volume	O
always	O
opened	O
:	O
"	O
ELLIOT	O
OF	O
KELLYNCH	O
HALL	O
.	O

"	O
Walter	O
Elliot	O
,	O
born	EVENT
March	O
1	O
,	O
1760	O
,	O
married	EVENT
,	O
July	O
15	O
,	O
1784	O
,	O
Elizabeth	O
,	O
daughter	O
of	O
James	O
Stevenson	O
,	O
Esq.	O
of	O
South	O
Park	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
county	O
of	O
Gloucester	O
,	O
by	O
which	O
lady	O
(	O
who	O
died	EVENT
1800	O
)	O
he	O
has	O
issue	EVENT
Elizabeth	O
,	O
born	O
June	O
1	O
,	O
1785	O
;	O
Anne	O
,	O
born	EVENT
August	O
9	O
,	O
1787	O
;	O
a	O
still-born	EVENT
son	O
,	O
November	O
5	O
,	O
1789	O
;	O
Mary	O
,	O
born	EVENT
November	O
20	O
,	O
1791	O
.	O
"	O

Precisely	O
such	O
had	O
the	O
paragraph	O
originally	O
stood	O
from	O
the	O
printer	O
's	O
hands	O
;	O
but	O
Sir	O
Walter	O
had	O
improved	EVENT
it	O
by	O
adding	EVENT
,	O
for	O
the	O
information	O
of	O
himself	O
and	O
his	O
family	O
,	O
these	O
words	O
,	O
after	O
the	O
date	O
of	O
Mary	O
's	O
birth	EVENT
--	O
"	O
Married	EVENT
,	O
December	O
16	O
,	O
1810	O
,	O
Charles	O
,	O
son	O
and	O
heir	O
of	O
Charles	O
Musgrove	O
,	O
Esq.	O
of	O
Uppercross	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
county	O
of	O
Somerset	O
,	O
"	O
and	O
by	O
inserting	EVENT
most	O
accurately	O
the	O
day	O
of	O
the	O
month	O
on	O
which	O
he	O
had	O
lost	EVENT
his	O
wife	O
.	O

Then	O
followed	O
the	O
history	O
and	O
rise	O
of	O
the	O
ancient	O
and	O
respectable	O
family	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
usual	O
terms	O
;	O
how	O
it	O
had	O
been	O
first	O
settled	EVENT
in	O
Cheshire	O
;	O
how	O
mentioned	O
in	O
Dugdale	O
,	O
serving	O
the	O
office	O
of	O
high	O
sheriff	O
,	O
representing	O
a	O
borough	O
in	O
three	O
successive	O
parliaments	O
,	O
exertions	O
of	O
loyalty	O
,	O
and	O
dignity	O
of	O
baronet	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
first	O
year	O
of	O
Charles	O
II	O
,	O
with	O
all	O
the	O
Marys	O
and	O
Elizabeths	O
they	O
had	O
married	EVENT
;	O
forming	O
altogether	O
two	O
handsome	O
duodecimo	O
pages	O
,	O
and	O
concluding	O
with	O
the	O
arms	O
and	O
motto	O
:	O
--	O
"	O
Principal	O
seat	O
,	O
Kellynch	O
Hall	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
county	O
of	O
Somerset	O
,	O
"	O
and	O
Sir	O
Walter	O
's	O
handwriting	O
again	O
in	O
this	O
finale	O
:	O
--	O
"	O
Heir	O
presumptive	O
,	O
William	O
Walter	O
Elliot	O
,	O
Esq.	O
,	O
great	O
grandson	O
of	O
the	O
second	O
Sir	O
Walter	O
.	O
"	O

Vanity	O
was	O
the	O
beginning	O
and	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
Sir	O
Walter	O
Elliot	O
's	O
character	O
;	O
vanity	O
of	O
person	O
and	O
of	O
situation	O
.	O

He	O
had	O
been	O
remarkably	O
handsome	O
in	O
his	O
youth	O
;	O
and	O
,	O
at	O
fifty-four	O
,	O
was	O
still	O
a	O
very	O
fine	O
man	O
.	O

Few	O
women	O
could	O
think	O
more	O
of	O
their	O
personal	O
appearance	O
than	O
he	O
did	O
,	O
nor	O
could	O
the	O
valet	O
of	O
any	O
new	O
made	O
lord	O
be	O
more	O
delighted	O
with	O
the	O
place	O
he	O
held	O
in	O
society	O
.	O

He	O
considered	O
the	O
blessing	O
of	O
beauty	O
as	O
inferior	O
only	O
to	O
the	O
blessing	O
of	O
a	O
baronetcy	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
Sir	O
Walter	O
Elliot	O
,	O
who	O
united	O
these	O
gifts	O
,	O
was	O
the	O
constant	O
object	O
of	O
his	O
warmest	O
respect	O
and	O
devotion	O
.	O

His	O
good	O
looks	O
and	O
his	O
rank	O
had	O
one	O
fair	O
claim	O
on	O
his	O
attachment	O
;	O
since	O
to	O
them	O
he	O
must	O
have	O
owed	O
a	O
wife	O
of	O
very	O
superior	O
character	O
to	O
any	O
thing	O
deserved	O
by	O
his	O
own	O
.	O

Lady	O
Elliot	O
had	O
been	O
an	O
excellent	O
woman	O
,	O
sensible	O
and	O
amiable	O
;	O
whose	O
judgement	O
and	O
conduct	O
,	O
if	O
they	O
might	O
be	O
pardoned	O
the	O
youthful	O
infatuation	O
which	O
made	O
her	O
Lady	O
Elliot	O
,	O
had	O
never	O
required	O
indulgence	O
afterwards	O
.	O

--	O
She	O
had	O
humoured	O
,	O
or	O
softened	O
,	O
or	O
concealed	O
his	O
failings	O
,	O
and	O
promoted	O
his	O
real	O
respectability	O
for	O
seventeen	O
years	O
;	O
and	O
though	O
not	O
the	O
very	O
happiest	O
being	O
in	O
the	O
world	O
herself	O
,	O
had	O
found	O
enough	O
in	O
her	O
duties	O
,	O
her	O
friends	O
,	O
and	O
her	O
children	O
,	O
to	O
attach	O
her	O
to	O
life	O
,	O
and	O
make	O
it	O
no	O
matter	O
of	O
indifference	O
to	O
her	O
when	O
she	O
was	O
called	O
on	O
to	O
quit	O
them	O
.	O

--	O
Three	O
girls	O
,	O
the	O
two	O
eldest	O
sixteen	O
and	O
fourteen	O
,	O
was	O
an	O
awful	O
legacy	O
for	O
a	O
mother	O
to	O
bequeath	O
,	O
an	O
awful	O
charge	O
rather	O
,	O
to	O
confide	O
to	O
the	O
authority	O
and	O
guidance	O
of	O
a	O
conceited	O
,	O
silly	O
father	O
.	O

She	O
had	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
one	O
very	O
intimate	O
friend	O
,	O
a	O
sensible	O
,	O
deserving	O
woman	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
been	O
brought	O
,	O
by	O
strong	O
attachment	O
to	O
herself	O
,	O
to	O
settle	O
close	O
by	O
her	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
village	O
of	O
Kellynch	O
;	O
and	O
on	O
her	O
kindness	O
and	O
advice	O
,	O
Lady	O
Elliot	O
mainly	O
relied	O
for	O
the	O
best	O
help	O
and	O
maintenance	O
of	O
the	O
good	O
principles	O
and	O
instruction	O
which	O
she	O
had	O
been	O
anxiously	O
giving	O
her	O
daughters	O
.	O

This	O
friend	O
,	O
and	O
Sir	O
Walter	O
,	O
did	O
not	O
marry	O
,	O
whatever	O
might	O
have	O
been	O
anticipated	O
on	O
that	O
head	O
by	O
their	O
acquaintance	O
.	O

Thirteen	O
years	O
had	O
passed	O
away	O
since	O
Lady	O
Elliot	O
's	O
death	EVENT
,	O
and	O
they	O
were	O
still	O
near	O
neighbours	O
and	O
intimate	O
friends	O
,	O
and	O
one	O
remained	O
a	O
widower	O
,	O
the	O
other	O
a	O
widow	O
.	O

That	O
Lady	O
Russell	O
,	O
of	O
steady	O
age	O
and	O
character	O
,	O
and	O
extremely	O
well	O
provided	O
for	O
,	O
should	O
have	O
no	O
thought	O
of	O
a	O
second	O
marriage	O
,	O
needs	O
no	O
apology	O
to	O
the	O
public	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
rather	O
apt	O
to	O
be	O
unreasonably	O
discontented	O
when	O
a	O
woman	O
does	O
marry	O
again	O
,	O
than	O
when	O
she	O
does	O
not	O
;	O
but	O
Sir	O
Walter	O
's	O
continuing	O
in	O
singleness	O
requires	O
explanation	O
.	O

Be	O
it	O
known	O
then	O
,	O
that	O
Sir	O
Walter	O
,	O
like	O
a	O
good	O
father	O
,	O
(	O
having	O
met	O
with	O
one	O
or	O
two	O
private	O
disappointments	O
in	O
very	O
unreasonable	O
applications	O
)	O
,	O
prided	O
himself	O
on	O
remaining	O
single	O
for	O
his	O
dear	O
daughters	O
'	O
sake	O
.	O

For	O
one	O
daughter	O
,	O
his	O
eldest	O
,	O
he	O
would	O
really	O
have	O
given	O
up	O
any	O
thing	O
,	O
which	O
he	O
had	O
not	O
been	O
very	O
much	O
tempted	O
to	O
do	O
.	O

Elizabeth	O
had	O
succeeded	O
,	O
at	O
sixteen	O
,	O
to	O
all	O
that	O
was	O
possible	O
,	O
of	O
her	O
mother	O
's	O
rights	O
and	O
consequence	O
;	O
and	O
being	O
very	O
handsome	O
,	O
and	O
very	O
like	O
himself	O
,	O
her	O
influence	O
had	O
always	O
been	O
great	O
,	O
and	O
they	O
had	O
gone	O
on	O
together	O
most	O
happily	O
.	O

His	O
two	O
other	O
children	O
were	O
of	O
very	O
inferior	O
value	O
.	O

Mary	O
had	O
acquired	O
a	O
little	O
artificial	O
importance	O
,	O
by	O
becoming	O
Mrs	O
Charles	O
Musgrove	O
;	O
but	O
Anne	O
,	O
with	O
an	O
elegance	O
of	O
mind	O
and	O
sweetness	O
of	O
character	O
,	O
which	O
must	O
have	O
placed	O
her	O
high	O
with	O
any	O
people	O
of	O
real	O
understanding	O
,	O
was	O
nobody	O
with	O
either	O
father	O
or	O
sister	O
;	O
her	O
word	O
had	O
no	O
weight	O
,	O
her	O
convenience	O
was	O
always	O
to	O
give	O
way	O
--	O
she	O
was	O
only	O
Anne	O
.	O

To	O
Lady	O
Russell	O
,	O
indeed	O
,	O
she	O
was	O
a	O
most	O
dear	O
and	O
highly	O
valued	O
god-daughter	O
,	O
favourite	O
,	O
and	O
friend	O
.	O

Lady	O
Russell	O
loved	O
them	O
all	O
;	O
but	O
it	O
was	O
only	O
in	O
Anne	O
that	O
she	O
could	O
fancy	O
the	O
mother	O
to	O
revive	O
again	O
.	O

A	O
few	O
years	O
before	O
,	O
Anne	O
Elliot	O
had	O
been	O
a	O
very	O
pretty	O
girl	O
,	O
but	O
her	O
bloom	O
had	O
vanished	O
early	O
;	O
and	O
as	O
even	O
in	O
its	O
height	O
,	O
her	O
father	O
had	O
found	O
little	O
to	O
admire	O
in	O
her	O
,	O
(	O
so	O
totally	O
different	O
were	O
her	O
delicate	O
features	O
and	O
mild	O
dark	O
eyes	O
from	O
his	O
own	O
)	O
,	O
there	O
could	O
be	O
nothing	O
in	O
them	O
,	O
now	O
that	O
she	O
was	O
faded	O
and	O
thin	O
,	O
to	O
excite	O
his	O
esteem	O
.	O

He	O
had	O
never	O
indulged	O
much	O
hope	O
,	O
he	O
had	O
now	O
none	O
,	O
of	O
ever	O
reading	O
her	O
name	O
in	O
any	O
other	O
page	O
of	O
his	O
favourite	O
work	O
.	O

All	O
equality	O
of	O
alliance	O
must	O
rest	O
with	O
Elizabeth	O
,	O
for	O
Mary	O
had	O
merely	O
connected	O
herself	O
with	O
an	O
old	O
country	O
family	O
of	O
respectability	O
and	O
large	O
fortune	O
,	O
and	O
had	O
therefore	O
given	O
all	O
the	O
honour	O
and	O
received	O
none	O
:	O
Elizabeth	O
would	O
,	O
one	O
day	O
or	O
other	O
,	O
marry	O
suitably	O
.	O

It	O
sometimes	O
happens	O
that	O
a	O
woman	O
is	O
handsomer	O
at	O
twenty-nine	O
than	O
she	O
was	O
ten	O
years	O
before	O
;	O
and	O
,	O
generally	O
speaking	O
,	O
if	O
there	O
has	O
been	O
neither	O
ill	O
health	O
nor	O
anxiety	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
a	O
time	O
of	O
life	O
at	O
which	O
scarcely	O
any	O
charm	O
is	O
lost	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
so	O
with	O
Elizabeth	O
,	O
still	O
the	O
same	O
handsome	O
Miss	O
Elliot	O
that	O
she	O
had	O
begun	O
to	O
be	O
thirteen	O
years	O
ago	O
,	O
and	O
Sir	O
Walter	O
might	O
be	O
excused	O
,	O
therefore	O
,	O
in	O
forgetting	O
her	O
age	O
,	O
or	O
,	O
at	O
least	O
,	O
be	O
deemed	O
only	O
half	O
a	O
fool	O
,	O
for	O
thinking	O
himself	O
and	O
Elizabeth	O
as	O
blooming	O
as	O
ever	O
,	O
amidst	O
the	O
wreck	O
of	O
the	O
good	O
looks	O
of	O
everybody	O
else	O
;	O
for	O
he	O
could	O
plainly	O
see	O
how	O
old	O
all	O
the	O
rest	O
of	O
his	O
family	O
and	O
acquaintance	O
were	O
growing	O
.	O

Anne	O
haggard	O
,	O
Mary	O
coarse	O
,	O
every	O
face	O
in	O
the	O
neighbourhood	O
worsting	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
rapid	O
increase	O
of	O
the	O
crow	O
's	O
foot	O
about	O
Lady	O
Russell	O
's	O
temples	O
had	O
long	O
been	O
a	O
distress	O
to	O
him	O
.	O

Elizabeth	O
did	O
not	O
quite	O
equal	O
her	O
father	O
in	O
personal	O
contentment	O
.	O

Thirteen	O
years	O
had	O
seen	O
her	O
mistress	O
of	O
Kellynch	O
Hall	O
,	O
presiding	O
and	O
directing	O
with	O
a	O
self-possession	O
and	O
decision	O
which	O
could	O
never	O
have	O
given	O
the	O
idea	O
of	O
her	O
being	O
younger	O
than	O
she	O
was	O
.	O

For	O
thirteen	O
years	O
had	O
she	O
been	O
doing	O
the	O
honours	O
,	O
and	O
laying	O
down	O
the	O
domestic	O
law	O
at	O
home	O
,	O
and	O
leading	O
the	O
way	O
to	O
the	O
chaise	O
and	O
four	O
,	O
and	O
walking	O
immediately	O
after	O
Lady	O
Russell	O
out	O
of	O
all	O
the	O
drawing-rooms	O
and	O
dining-rooms	O
in	O
the	O
country	O
.	O

Thirteen	O
winters	O
'	O
revolving	O
frosts	O
had	O
seen	O
her	O
opening	O
every	O
ball	O
of	O
credit	O
which	O
a	O
scanty	O
neighbourhood	O
afforded	O
,	O
and	O
thirteen	O
springs	O
shewn	O
their	O
blossoms	O
,	O
as	O
she	O
travelled	O
up	O
to	O
London	O
with	O
her	O
father	O
,	O
for	O
a	O
few	O
weeks	O
'	O
annual	O
enjoyment	O
of	O
the	O
great	O
world	O
.	O

She	O
had	O
the	O
remembrance	O
of	O
all	O
this	O
,	O
she	O
had	O
the	O
consciousness	O
of	O
being	O
nine-and-twenty	O
to	O
give	O
her	O
some	O
regrets	O
and	O
some	O
apprehensions	O
;	O
she	O
was	O
fully	O
satisfied	O
of	O
being	O
still	O
quite	O
as	O
handsome	O
as	O
ever	O
,	O
but	O
she	O
felt	O
her	O
approach	O
to	O
the	O
years	O
of	O
danger	O
,	O
and	O
would	O
have	O
rejoiced	O
to	O
be	O
certain	O
of	O
being	O
properly	O
solicited	O
by	O
baronet-blood	O
within	O
the	O
next	O
twelvemonth	O
or	O
two	O
.	O

Then	O
might	O
she	O
again	O
take	O
up	O
the	O
book	O
of	O
books	O
with	O
as	O
much	O
enjoyment	O
as	O
in	O
her	O
early	O
youth	O
,	O
but	O
now	O
she	O
liked	O
it	O
not	O
.	O

Always	O
to	O
be	O
presented	O
with	O
the	O
date	O
of	O
her	O
own	O
birth	EVENT
and	O
see	O
no	O
marriage	O
follow	O
but	O
that	O
of	O
a	O
youngest	O
sister	O
,	O
made	O
the	O
book	O
an	O
evil	O
;	O
and	O
more	O
than	O
once	O
,	O
when	O
her	O
father	O
had	O
left	O
it	O
open	O
on	O
the	O
table	O
near	O
her	O
,	O
had	O
she	O
closed	O
it	O
,	O
with	O
averted	O
eyes	O
,	O
and	O
pushed	O
it	O
away	O
.	O

She	O
had	O
had	O
a	O
disappointment	O
,	O
moreover	O
,	O
which	O
that	O
book	O
,	O
and	O
especially	O
the	O
history	O
of	O
her	O
own	O
family	O
,	O
must	O
ever	O
present	O
the	O
remembrance	O
of	O
.	O

The	O
heir	O
presumptive	O
,	O
the	O
very	O
William	O
Walter	O
Elliot	O
,	O
Esq.	O
,	O
whose	O
rights	O
had	O
been	O
so	O
generously	O
supported	O
by	O
her	O
father	O
,	O
had	O
disappointed	O
her	O
.	O

She	O
had	O
,	O
while	O
a	O
very	O
young	O
girl	O
,	O
as	O
soon	O
as	O
she	O
had	O
known	O
him	O
to	O
be	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
event	O
of	O
her	O
having	O
no	O
brother	O
,	O
the	O
future	O
baronet	O
,	O
meant	O
to	O
marry	O
him	O
,	O
and	O
her	O
father	O
had	O
always	O
meant	O
that	O
she	O
should	O
.	O

He	O
had	O
not	O
been	O
known	O
to	O
them	O
as	O
a	O
boy	O
;	O
but	O
soon	O
after	O
Lady	O
Elliot	O
's	O
death	EVENT
,	O
Sir	O
Walter	O
had	O
sought	O
the	O
acquaintance	O
,	O
and	O
though	O
his	O
overtures	O
had	O
not	O
been	O
met	O
with	O
any	O
warmth	O
,	O
he	O
had	O
persevered	O
in	O
seeking	O
it	O
,	O
making	O
allowance	O
for	O
the	O
modest	O
drawing-back	O
of	O
youth	O
;	O
and	O
,	O
in	O
one	O
of	O
their	O
spring	O
excursions	EVENT
to	O
London	O
,	O
when	O
Elizabeth	O
was	O
in	O
her	O
first	O
bloom	O
,	O
Mr	O
Elliot	O
had	O
been	O
forced	EVENT
into	O
the	O
introduction	EVENT
.	O

He	O
was	O
at	O
that	O
time	O
a	O
very	O
young	O
man	O
,	O
just	O
engaged	O
in	O
the	O
study	O
of	O
the	O
law	O
;	O
and	O
Elizabeth	O
found	EVENT
him	O
extremely	O
agreeable	O
,	O
and	O
every	O
plan	O
in	O
his	O
favour	O
was	O
confirmed	EVENT
.	O

He	O
was	O
invited	EVENT
to	O
Kellynch	O
Hall	O
;	O
he	O
was	O
talked	O
of	O
and	O
expected	O
all	O
the	O
rest	O
of	O
the	O
year	O
;	O
but	O
he	O
never	O
came	O
.	O

The	O
following	O
spring	O
he	O
was	O
seen	EVENT
again	O
in	O
town	O
,	O
found	EVENT
equally	O
agreeable	O
,	O
again	O
encouraged	EVENT
,	O
invited	EVENT
,	O
and	O
expected	EVENT
,	O
and	O
again	O
he	O
did	O
not	O
come	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
next	O
tidings	EVENT
were	O
that	O
he	O
was	O
married	O
.	O

Instead	O
of	O
pushing	O
his	O
fortune	O
in	O
the	O
line	O
marked	O
out	O
for	O
the	O
heir	O
of	O
the	O
house	O
of	O
Elliot	O
,	O
he	O
had	O
purchased	EVENT
independence	O
by	O
uniting	EVENT
himself	O
to	O
a	O
rich	O
woman	O
of	O
inferior	O
birth	O
.	O