A Laodicean

Preface

The changing of the old order in country manors and mansions

may be slow or sudden, may have many issues romantic or

otherwise, its romantic issues being not necessarily

restricted to a change back to the original order; though this

admissible instance appears to have been the only romance

formerly recognized by novelists as possible in the case.

Whether the following production be a picture of other

possibilities or not, its incidents may be taken to be fairly

well supported by evidence every day forthcoming in most

counties.

The writing of the tale was rendered memorable to two persons,

at least, by a tedious illness of five months that laid hold

of the author soon after the story was begun in a well-known

magazine; during which period the narrative had to be

strenuously continued by dictation to a predetermined cheerful

ending.

As some of these novels of Wessex life address themselves more

especially to readers into whose souls the iron has entered,

and whose years have less pleasure in them now than

heretofore, so "A Laodicean" may perhaps help to while away an

idle afternoon of the comfortable ones whose lines have fallen

to them in pleasant places; above all, of that large and happy

section of the reading public which has not yet reached

ripeness of years; those to whom marriage is the pilgrim's

Eternal City, and not a milestone on the way.

January 1896.