登陆注册
5633100000017

第17章

ENGLAND AND NEW ENGLAND, The children were now accustomed to assemble round Grandfather's chair at all their unoccupied moments; and often it was a striking picture to behold the white-headed old sire, with this flowery wreath of young people around him. When he talked to them, it was the past speaking to the present, or rather to the future,--for the children were of a generation which had not become actual. Their part in life, thus far, was only to be happy and to draw knowledge from a thousand sources. As yet, it was not their time to do.

Sometimes, as Grandfather gazed at their fair, unworldly countenances, a mist of tears bedimmed his spectacles. He almost regretted that it was necessary for them to know anything of the past or to provide aught for the future. He could have wished that they might be always the happy, youthful creatures who had hitherto sported around his chair, without inquiring whether it had a history. It grieved him to think that his little Alice, who was a flower bud fresh from paradise, must open her leaves to the rough breezes of the world, or ever open them in any clime. So sweet a child she was, that it seemed fit her infancy should be immortal.

But such repinings were merely flitting shadows across the old man's heart. He had faith enough to believe, and wisdom enough to know, that the bloom of the flower would be even holier and happier than its bud.

Even within himself, though Grandfather was now at that period of life when the veil of mortality is apt to hang heavily over the soul, still, in his inmost being he was conscious of something that he would not have exchanged for the best happiness of childhood. It was a bliss to which every sort of earthly experience--all that he had enjoyed, or suffered or seen, or heard, or acted, with the broodings of his soul upon the whole--had contributed somewhat. In the same manner must a bliss, of which now they could have no conception, grow up within these children, and form a part of their sustenance for immortality.

So Grandfather, with renewed cheerfulness, continued his history of the chair, trusting that a profounder wisdom than his own would extract, from these flowers and weeds of Time, a fragrance that might last beyond all time.

At this period of the story Grandfather threw a glance backward as far as the year 1660. He spoke of the ill-concealed reluctance with which the Puritans in America had acknowledged the sway of Charles II. on his restoration to his father's throne. When death had stricken Oliver Cromwell, that mighty protector had no sincerer mourners than in New England. The new king had been more than a year upon the throne before his accession was proclaimed in Boston, although the neglect to perform the ceremony might have subjected the rulers to the charge of treason.

During the reign of Charles II., however, the American colonies had but little reason to complain of harsh or tyrannical treatment. But when Charles died, in 1685, and was succeeded by his brother James, the patriarchs of New England began to tremble. King James was known to be of an arbitrary temper. It was feared by the Puritans that he would assume despotic power. Our forefathers felt that they had no security either for their religion or their liberties.

The result proved that they had reason for their apprehensions. King James caused the charters of all the American colonies to be taken away.

The old charter of Massachusetts, which the people regarded as a holy thing and as the foundation of all their liberties, was declared void.

The colonists were now no longer freemen; they were entirely dependent on the king's pleasure. At first, in 1685, King James appointed Joseph Dudley, a native of Massachusetts, to be president of New England. But soon afterwards, Sir Edmund Andros, an officer of the English army, arrived, with a commission to be governor-general of New England and New York.

The king had given such powers to Sir Edmund Andros that there was now no liberty, nor scarcely any law, in the colonies over which he ruled.

The inhabitants were not allowed to choose representatives, and consequently had no voice whatever in the government, nor control over the measures that were adopted. The councillors with whom the governor consulted on matters of state were appointed by himself. This sort of government was no better than an absolute despotism.

同类推荐
  • 草泽狂歌

    草泽狂歌

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Leviathan

    Leviathan

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 地持义记

    地持义记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 通玄真经缵义释音

    通玄真经缵义释音

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 北京楚林禅师语录

    北京楚林禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 重生权妃天下

    重生权妃天下

    现代黑道霸主冷月离和弟弟被人陷害致死,穿越重生异世大陆成为落魄家族少主。人人鄙弃的废柴?却不知她天生掌握五大稀有元素,修炼速度令人发指。无权无势的小丑八怪?却不知面具之下的她美的令人窒息。没人知道多年前没落的神秘家族为什么十年之内又一跃而起成为了第一家族。只因她重生而来,只因她是这幕后的家主。两辈子她都在尔虞我诈的算计中度过,她只会比别人更心狠手辣更冷酷无情。可在他的宠溺面前总忍不住放下防备。正如别人所说,离振王的王妃就是个白痴傻子。可只有她知道,在信任的人面前她从来不动脑子,算计!从来只留给敌人。
  • 乔生南国

    乔生南国

    一眼万年。自从十五岁那年遇见顾南国,陈安乔如同着了魔,其他人再也入不了她的法眼。然而,命运车轮飞速旋转,生活陡起波澜——随着一件陈年往事浮出水面,故事的发展终究脱离了她想像的轨道......他们的人生交集在生育政策执行得最严苛的那段时光里,注定了整个故事充满了悲欢离合。(故事情节有虚构之处,请勿对号入座。作者有五本完结小说,从不烂尾,想知道故事结局的亲赶快入坑吧!)
  • 王者风暴

    王者风暴

    世界崩毁七百年,少年周烈接到一个来自七百年前的电话,使他从此踏上了追寻世界奥秘的道路。这里是新的纪元,开拓者激发古老的血脉,踏着前人的脚步前行,他们相信自己终将升华。书友群:178268253霸道的秦皇,睿智的汉武,无双的白起,忠义的岳飞,祖冲之,徐霞客,李淳风,扁鹊,邵雍等等,这些古人在今人的信念中复苏,与今人一起扶摇直上,激烈碰撞,交相辉映。
  • 一个孤独的国王

    一个孤独的国王

    《一个孤独的国王》是重庆诗人李海洲近年来的诗歌自选集。本书收诗47首,共5辑,后附访谈和评论各一篇。“一个孤独的国王”象征着诗人自己,在寂寞里抒情,语言里穿梭,恣肆着想象,玩味着孤独。这些诗,无一不是自由个性的产物,彰显出诗人无拘无束的才情,浪漫,在东方与西方、古典与现代、山城与江南的意象中尽情穿越梦游。在诗歌艺术的纯粹性方面,颇有造诣。
  • 末世盛宠之尸王别过来

    末世盛宠之尸王别过来

    他是末世中最强的军阀,心爱的女人死后,从京都叛变,带着叛军一路杀到西省,她本以为自己死后就一切都解脱了,不料再次醒来,她是在大街上醒来的,他竟然敢把她暴尸街头?传闻他成为了末世中实力最强的军阀?她死前被他折磨地痛不欲生,他凭什么?!她现在变成丧尸,一定要找过去啃死他!
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 民国奇闻异事录

    民国奇闻异事录

    2010年冬,我闲来无事,刚刚从单位辞职,这个时候,死党俞飞过来找我,说要我陪他去一趟西安城郊的终南山,说这个山上住着一些隐士,有的是故事。那个时候,我接了一个编辑的任务,给一家图书公司写一些文稿,大都是些奇异的人和事,手头正缺素材,于是就愉快地答应了他的要求。他是俞飞的一个爷爷,没有出五服,老头有九十岁左右,手脚利索而且思路清晰,不仅如此,他还有记日记的习惯,当他把那三大皮箱的日记和游记给我们从草屋里间拉到外面时,我和俞飞都惊呆了。老头自我介绍,那些都是从民国开始,他所记录和经历过的种种奇人和异事,现在老了,也回味了几遍,就想找个人把这些东西重新写下来,供人们做为茶余饭后的消遣……
  • 风是海的归宿

    风是海的归宿

    {两年前,他伤害了她。她说她的心爱上了别人,他暴跳如雷,颤音:“…把你的心还给我!我要你把它还给我,还给我~~”}{她:“我不回去了”他:“那我也不回去了,跟你定居这里”她:“…我要去工作了,迟到会被批的”他急了:“你信不信我把这里的人全开了?看你怎么工作,怎么被批!”她无奈:“那你表个态先”他在她脸上重重的啃了两口,然后掏出钱包,将所有信用卡银行卡还有身份证全塞给她,说:“都是你的,我——也是你的,满意?”}
  • 飞花万盏

    飞花万盏

    当我的双手再也承载不了我的梦想,我想是我不够努力吧!我想我懂,我想我们都懂,只是谁都不想说破吧!可对于我来说那也是一种伤害!“你们都不靠谱,老二你说。你也是金融系的,你对周骏的评价怎么样!”“不错!值得睡!!”学的好,不如嫁的好!