those
who loved her, and to value affection almost above its price. She
had yet to learn the lesson, that it is more blessed to love than
to be beloved; and lonely as the impressible years of her youth had
been--without parents, without brother or sister--it was, perhaps,
no wonder that she clung tenaciously to every symptom of regard, and
could not relinquish the love of any one without a pang.

The doctor who was called in to Elizabeth prescribed sea-air as the
best means of recruiting her strength. Mr Bradshaw, who liked to
spend money ostentatiously, went down straight to Abermouth, and
engaged a house for the remainder of the autumn; for, as he told
the medical man, money was no object to him in comparison with his
children's health; and the doctor cared too little about the mode in
which his remedy was administered, to tell Mr Bradshaw that lodgings
would have done as well, or better, than the complete house he had
seen fit to take. For it was now necessary to engage servants, and
take much trouble, which might have been obviated, and Elizabeth's
removal effected more quietly and speedily, if she had gone into
lodgings. As it was, she was weary of hearing all the planning and
talking, and deciding and un-deciding, and re-deciding, before it was
possible for her to go. Her only comfort was in the thought that dear
Mrs Denbigh was to go with her.

It had not been entirely by way of pompously spending his money that
Mr Bradshaw had engaged this seaside house. He was glad to get his
little girls and their governess out of the way; for a busy time was
impending, when he should want his head clear for electioneering
purposes, and his house clear for electioneering hospitality. He was
the mover of a project for bringing forward a man on the Liberal
and Dissenting interest, to contest the election with the old Tory
member, who had on several successive occasions walked over the
course, as he and his family owned half the town, and votes and rent
were paid alike to the landlord.

Kings of Eccleston had Mr Cranworth and his ancestors been this many
a long year; their right was so little disputed that they never
thought of acknowledging the allegiance so readily paid to them.
The old feudal feeling between land-owner and tenant did not quake
prophetically at the introduction of manufactures; the Cranworth
family ignored the growing power of the manufacturers, more
especially as the principal person engaged in the trade w