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young ones do not remember much about it, perhaps; but if dear
Sir Thomas were here, he could tell you what improvements we
made: and a great deal more would have been done, but for poor
MrNorris?s sad state of healthHe could hardly ever get out, poor
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Jane Austen
man, to enjoy anything, and that disheartened me from doing several
things that Sir Thomas and I used to talk ofIf it had not been
for that, we should have carried on the garden wall, and made the
plantation to shut out the churchyard, just as Dr
We were always doing something as it wasIt was only the spring
twelvemonth before MrNorris?s death that we put in the apricot
against the stable wall, which is now grown such a noble tree, and
getting to such perfection, sir,? addressing herself then to Dr
?The tree thrives well, beyond a doubt, madam,? replied Dr
?The soil is good; and I never pass it without regretting that the
fruit should be so little worth the trouble of gathering
?Sir, it is a Moor Park, we bought it as a Moor Park, and it cost
us?that is, it was a present from Sir Thomas, but I saw the bill?
and I know it cost seven shillings, and gucci large shopping tote bag was charged as a Moor Park
?You were imposed on, ma?am,? replied DrGrant: ?these potatoes
have as much the flavour of a Moor Park apricot as the fruit
from that treeIt is an insipid fruit at the best; but a good apricot is
eatable, which none from my garden are
?The truth is, ma?am,? said MrsGrant, pretending to whisper
across the table to MrsGrant hardly knows what
the natural taste of our apricot is: he is scarcely ever indulged with
one, for it is so valuable a fruit; with a little assistance, and ours is
such a remarkably large, fair sort, that what with early tarts and
preserves, my cook contrives to get them allNorris, who had begun to redden, was appeased; and, for a
little while, other subjects took place of the improvements of
SothertonNorris were seldom good friends;
their acquaintance had begun in dilapidations, and their habits were
totally dissimilar
After a short interruption MrRushworth began again?Smith?s
place is the admiration of all the country; and it was a mere nothing
before Repton took it in handI think I shall have ReptonRushworth,? said Lady Bertram, ?if I were you, I would
have a very pretty gucci fashion shrubberyOne likes to get out into a shrubbery
in fine weatherRushworth was eager to assure her ladyship of his acquiescence,
and tried to make out something complimentary; but, be48
Mansfield Park
tween his submission to her taste, and his having always intended
the same himself, with the superadded objects of professing attention
to the comfort of ladies in general, and of insinuating that
there was one only whom he was anxious to please, he grew puzzled,
and Edmund was glad to put an end to his speech by a proposal of
wineRushworth, however, though not usually a great talker,
had still more to say on the subject next his heart?Smith has not
much above a hundred acres altogether in his grounds, which is
little enough, and makes it more surprising that the place can have
been so improvedNow, at Sotherton we have a good seven hundred,
without reckoning the water meadows; so that I think, if so
much could be done at Compton, we need not despairThere have
been two or three fine old trees cut down, that grew too near the
house, and it opens the prospect amazingly, which makes me think
that Repton, or anybody of that miu miu charm leather bag sort, would certainly have the avenue
at Sotherton down: the avenue that leads from the west front
to the top of the hill, you know,? turning to Miss Bertram particularly
as he spokeBut Miss Bertram thought it most becoming to
reply?
?The avenue! Oh! I do not recollect itI really know very little of
Sotherton
Fanny, who was sitting on the other side of Edmund, exactly opposite
Miss Crawford, and who had been attentively listening, now
looked at him, and said in a low voice?
?Cut down an avenue! What a pity! Does it not make you think
of Cowper? ?Ye fallen avenues, once more I mourn your fate unmerited
?
He smiled as he answered, ?I am afraid the avenue stands a bad
chance, Fanny
?I should like to see Sotherton before it is cut down, to see the
place as it is now, in its old state; but I do not suppose I shall
?Have you never been there? No, you never can; and, unluckily, it
is out of distance for a rideI wish we could contrive it
?Oh! it does not signifyWhenever I do see it, you will tell me
how it has been altered
?I collect,? said Miss Crawford, ?that Sotherton is an old place,
and a place of some grandeurIn chanel replica bag any particular style of building??
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Jane Austen
?The house was built in Elizabeth?s time, and is a large, regular,
brick building; heavy, but respectable looking, and has many good
roomsIt stands in one of the lowest spots of the
park; in that respect, unfavourable for improvementBut the woods
are fine, and there is a stream, which, I dare say, might be made a
good deal ofRushworth is quite right, I think, in meaning to
give it a modern dress, and I have no doubt that it will be all done
extremely well
Miss Crawford listened with submission, and said to herself, ?He
is a well-bred man; he makes the best of it
?I do not wish to influence MrRushworth,? he continued; ?but,
had I a place to new fashion, I should not put myself into the hands
of an improverI would rather have an inferior degree of beauty, of
my own choice, and acquired progressivelyI would rather abide by
my own blunders than by his
?You would know what you were about, of course; but that would
not suit meI have no eye or ingenuity for such matters, but as they
are before me; and had I a place of my own in the country, I should
be most thankful to dolce and gabbana handbag an |
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