Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III Days of Trial—The Family as Trial found them—Francis Lord Hastings—Lady Elizabeth Hastings—The two Boy Brothers— The Children in the Nursery—The Visitation of Smallpox—Lord Huntingdon's Dream and its Fulfilment—A Widow Indeed—Wealth and Independence—A Missionary Tour in Wales—A Grande Dame's Duty to her Children—The Auspices under which Francis Earl of Huntingdon made the Grand Tour—The Honours heaped upon him—Lady Elizabeth Hastings' Appointment at Court—Her Marriage to Lord Rawdon, afterwards Earl Moira—A Different Sphere—The Engraving known as the "Beatific Print"—Lady Huntingdon's Precarious Health forming no obstacle to her efforts. The impetus given to Lady Huntingdon's convictions, which sent her finally across the barrier which divided her from public life, never to retrace her steps, did not originate with herself, it was none of her seeking. How could it be ? It was a summons to leave behind her the peace and gladness of her matronhood and motherhood, in order to tread thenceforth the bleak, unshaded, uphill road, thorn-strewn, watered with tears, alone in the midst of a baffling crowd, the road which no man, and still less no woman, could climb steadfastly, unless upheld by more than human strength. The stately and beautiful home which struck spectators as so safe and enduring was entered again and again by one to whom none can deny himself, was robbed first of its sweetness, next of its glory, and then was speedily left behind. Lady Huntingdon had borne seven children, one of whom—a baby, Lady Selina—died in infancy. In addition to his own family, Lord Huntingdon had caused to be educated along with his eldest son, Theophilus and George Hastings, the sons of his younger brother, who had been known in his youth by what was, in his case, the court...