The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 24: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE OLD MAN’S SECOND MARRIAGE 7 in his mind the longer he deliberated upon it. Who his intended wife was to be he had already settled with himself, for he knew full well that where the offer of his hand was about to be made it was certain to be accepted. The young lady whom he thus had in view was seventeen years of age. She was the only child of a worthy clergyman occupying a living on the Saxondale estate, and for which he was indebted to his lordship’s bounty. Harriet Clifton was a girl of exceeding beauty, tall and admirably formed, and with a development of womanly charms which made her seem three or four years older than she really was. She possessed a fine spirit, a powerful intellect, and a strong mind, all of which were indicated, young though she were, by the cast and expression of her countenance. Indeed, it was only necessary to look into the depths of her dark eyes when they met the gaze steadfastly and fearlessly, to follow the aquiline lines of her handsome profile, to contemplate the high, proud forehead, to mark the haughty curling of the lip, the swanlike archings of the neck, the statuesque car- riage of the figure, and the sedate and somewhat measured step, in order to read the firm decision of her character as easily as if 1t were printed in a book. At the same time there was nothing unfeminine in the appearance nor improperly bold in the manner of Harriet Clifton. Her forwardness was attempered by an unstudied ingenuousness, and the settled decision of her looks was the natural precocity of a very powerful mind, shedding its influence upon her whole being, and giving its own strong impress to her features. Having lost her mother when she was very young, and having a kind, indulgent father, Harriet had received none of those delicate tutorings and refined teachings, those timely checks upon temper and those repressions of self- will, which only a mother or a very near and affectionate female relative can give. She was well educated, ladylike in manners, and possessing good conversational powers, the development of which had been hindered by no bashful coyness. Thus, altogether, Harriet Clifton was a woman in form, mind, and intellect at that age of ‘‘ sweet seven- teen ”’ when she was still a mere girl in years. Lord Saxondale had been acquainted with the Reverend Mr. Clifton for a quarter of a century, and had therefore known Harriet from her birth. He was well aware of all COnNIELDOOKS (C(O)