Stories By English Authors: Italy (Selected by Scribners)

When I lived in the country, — which was a long time ago, — our nearest neighbours were the Luscombes. They were very great personages in the country indeed, and the family were greatly “respected”; though not, so far as I could discern, for any particular reason, except from their having been there for several generations. People are supposed to improve, like wine, from keeping— even if they are rather “ordinary” at starting; and the Luscombes, at the time I knew them, were considered quite a “vintage” family. They had begun in Charles II. 's time, and dated their descent from greatness in the female line. That they had managed to keep a great estate not very much impaired so long was certainly a proof of great cleverness, since there had been many spend-thrifts among them; but fortunately there had been a miser or two, who had restored the average, and their fortunes.