ONCE A WEEK.

AN

Illustrated Miscellany

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LITERATURE, ART, SCIENCE, & POPULAR INFORMATION.

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VOLUME XIIL

JUNE TO DECEMBER, 1865.

LONDON:

BRADBURY & EVANS, 11, BOUVERIE STREET.

[The Right of translating Articles from "ONCE A WEEK" is reserved by the Authors.]

SWAIN.JO

LONDON:

BRADBURY, EVANS, AND CO., PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS,

ONCE A WEEK,

'A FAMILY HISTORY.

BY HARRIET MARTINEAU.

CHAPTER X. A DOWNWARD TENDENCY.

assigned him at the most marvellous of the
mines, where he had besides an opportunity
of creating wealth for himself in a rather re-
markable way.
He had authentic information
that certain ores in that region had the pro-
perty of turning into gold, or, it might be,
revealing the gold hidden in them, by being
touched with the precious metal in a state of

together some pieces of gold, to begin with. Her confinement over, Nanny was to be ready to go to him, with her infant, as soon after hearing of his arrival as she could obtain a passage. It was agreed between the husband and wife that Nanny should accumulate all the gold she could, in any shape that she could carry out.

If her father could be persuaded

For some months nothing came of the watch kept on the great wealth-making machine, and on its movers. The accounts from the Antipodes became more and more superb as new regions were said to be laid open, till grave and responsible gentlemen began to talk of dividends of fifty per cent. Of course, all who listened and believed invested trust-purity. Harry had, by hook and by crook, got moneys, when possible, in that stock; and they advised all their relatives and friends,-all widows and spinsters, and all possessors of the smallest portion of an independence, to do the same. The new greatness seemed to grow faster than the wealth. At the Birthday there was such a crowd at Court as had never been known before; and some who were wont to be seen there went home as soon as they could extricate themselves from the "mob," as they called those they left behind. Others remained to pay court to the new people, and to recommend them to his Majesty's good graces. The South Sea gentry, as they were called, were made to think themselves greater than anybody there, except the King himself, and perhaps the Prince and Princess. Those of the Ministers who were unconnected with the South Sea House were nobody: and the King himself was greatest, because he was Governor of the Company. The Craggs family were almost Esther worshipped by the prudent people. and her brother were declared the handsomest young people present; and their father was as much sought as if he had been agreeable,which no one, even on that day, attempted to suggest that he was.

The ladies of his family had waited for the Birthday before going down to Milbury; as his Majesty had waited for it before going over to Hanover. Nanny was to be confined at Milbury, and her, mother and sister were to take her there. Her husband had sailed for South America, where a well-salaried post had been

to give her now an equivalent for a present
payment of whatever he might intend to leave
her at his death, and she could convey the
amount in guineas, so as to purchase bars of
the Company on the spot, the fortune of the
Ives family was made. Such were the mining
and commercial notions of Harry and his wife
after their life on their farm first, and their
training in 'Change Alley afterwards.
they were not at all more absurd than many
that were held by persons much less innocent
than themselves.

And

Milbury had never seemed so delightful as this summer. Nanny's confinement over, all The repose was was repose and pleasure. keenly enjoyed, because, to say the truth, Mr. Craggs' temper and manners had been of late very trying to his family. He had always been somewhat formidable in his home; but now he was much altered,-anxious and cross and rude at the very time when he was envied as the most prosperous man in England. After every proper endeavour to persuade him to come down to Milbury to rest from his toils, his wife and daughters surrendered themselves to the enjoyment of the park and the flower

No. 1.