Standard Novels (Classic Reprint)

Standard Novels (Classic Reprint)
$46.99
$47.99 about 6 years ago

Excerpt from Standard Novels The coast of England, though finer than our own, is more remarkable for a general appearance of civilisation than for natural beauties. The chalky cliffs may seem bold to the American, though compared to the granite piles that buttress the Mediterranean they are but molehills; and the travelled eye seeks beauties instead, in the retiring vales, the leafy hedges, and the clustering towns that dot the island. Neither is Portsmouth a very favourable specimen of a British port, considered in reference to the picturesque. England itself has the fresh beauty of youth, rather than the mellowed hues of a more advanced period of life. Some such thoughts passed through the mind of the traveller who stood on the deck of the packet Montauk, as he contemplated the coast that stretched before him. The manner in which this gentleman, whose temples were sprinkled with grey, regarded the scene, denoted more of the thoughtfulness of experience, and of tastes improved by observation, than it is usual to meet amid the bustling characters that compose the majority in almost every situation. The calmness of his exterior had, indeed, so strongly distinguished him from the moment he embarked in London to that in which he was now seen, that the seamen swore he was a man-of-war's man in disguise. The fair-haired, lovely, blue-eyed girl at his side seemed a softened reflection of all his intelligence, tastes, and cultivation, united to the artlessness and simplicity that became her sex and years. "We have seen nobler coasts, Eve," said the gentleman, "but, after all, England will always be fair to American eyes." About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.