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. T.H.
