Friends in Council Volume 2; A Series of Readings and Discourse Thereon

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1857 Excerpt: ... S L A V E E Y. CHAPTER I. AS the following essays are all upon the same subject, I bring them together, although they were not read in the same place or in the same year, as will be seen; and, indeed, did not always follow in the order in which I have placed them. A short time after our last reading, Milverton mentioned that he should be ready to read something more to us, and intimated that it would be of a graver character than what we had been used to hear of late from him. Notwithstanding the threatened gravity, Lucy begged me to let her accompany me; and Ellesmere did not refuse to attend. We met at our accustomed place in Milverton's garden; and, after the usual greetings, Ellesmere thus began. Ellesmere. Well, Miss Lucy, and so you are here, too. What courage there is in the female Lreast! Did not Milverton inform you that he was going to tax our patience largely? What is your idea now of a grave subject 1 Lucy. One that should make even Mr. Ellesmere in earnest, as distinguished from a dull subject which would only make him more fond of gibing and more provokingly severe. Ellesmere. Fair maiden, your remarks are unpleasantly clever; and if you say anything more of the same kind this morning, I will give out that you are a wit, a ruinous character, I can tell you, to affix to a young lady in her teens. Lucy. Pray do not, sirj I am all submission for the future. Milverton. I do not know, Lucy, whether my subject will come under your definition; however, I will not keep you any longer in suspense, --Slavery is the subject. Ellesmere. The very one I guessed and had just whispered in Dunsford's ear (he had done so). You see I had given a shrewd look at your book-shelves, and watched the additions from time to time. Then the problem was, to see what one su..