The History of Henry Esmond [antikvár]

PREFACEThe Esmonds of VirginiaThe estate of Castlewood, in Virginia, which was given to our ancestorsby King Charles the First, as some return for the sacrifices made in HisMajesty's cause by the Esmond family, lies in Westmoreland County,between the rivers Potomac and Rappahannoc, and was once as great asan English Principality, though in the early times its revenues were butsmall. Indeed, for near eighty years after our forefathers possessed them,our plantations were in the hands of factors, who enriched themselvesone after another, though a few scores of hogsheads of tobacco were allthe produce that, for long after the Restoration, our family received fromtheir Virginian estates.My dear and honored father, Colonel Henry Esmond, whose history,written by himself, is contained in the accompanying volumes, came toVirginia in the year 1718, built his house of Castlewood, and herepermanently settled. After a long stormy life in England, he passed theremainder of his many years in peace and honor in this country; howbeloved and respected by all his fellow-citizens, how inexpressibly dearto his family, I need not say. His whole life was a benefit to all who wereconnected with him. He gave the best example, the best advice, the mostbounteous hospitality to his friends; the tenderest care to his dependents;and bestowed on those of his immediate family such a blessing of fatherlylove and protection as can never be thought of, by us, at least, withoutveneration and thankfulness; and my son's children, whether establishedhere in our Republic, or at home in the always beloved mother country,from which our late quarrel hath separated us, may surely be proud to bedescended from one who in all ways was so truly noble.My dear mother died in 1736, soon after our return from England,whither my parents took me for my education; and where I made theacquaintance of Mr. Warrington, whom my children never saw. Whenit pleased Heaven, in the bloom of his youth, and after but a few monthsof a most happy union, to remove him from me, I owed my recovery from