love and friendship and other early works

Whatever one answers, no matter how true and well-evidenced the defence or explanation, one is forever besmirched even irrefutable denials serve only to further circulate the original slanders. And if one's name is not so good, that near-impossibility becomes even nearer. Having myself been the target of such slanderers I well know the near-impossibility of cleansing one's good name from their aspersions. That other less prominent character-assassins later joined the cruel fray does not lessen that Lady's singular culpability. As so often with our Aristocracy, the DeCourcys did not conduct their soiling 'vendettas' themselves but through the sycophants & hangers-on of their circle, in this case the spinster Authoress * notorious for her poison-pen fictions hidden under the lambskin of Anonymity.

Such was the case of the DeCourcy family of Parklands, Kent, who disguised their prideful arrogance-indefensible in our Faith-under the cloak of moral nicety and correction. What, though, of they who bear false-witness against those whose histories are not 'spotless'? To commit one sin or indiscretion is not to commit every sin or indiscretion-yet many speak as if it were. They who bear false-witness against the innocent and blameless are rightly condemned. Charles Smith, a slanderer & gossip-monger visitor to Langford & later Surrey. Rufus Martin-Colonna de Cesari-Rocca, her son & Author of this Work įrederic Martin-Colonna de Cesari-Rocca, his younger brother Ĭolonel Giancarlo (later Jean-Charles) Colonna de Cesari-Rocca, a hero of Corsica's war for independence, exiled to London with General Paoli. Juliana Martin-Colonna de Cesari-Rocca, Sir James' younger sister wife of Colonel Giancarlo (later Jean-Charles) Colonna de Cesari-Rocca Sir James Martin, a cheerful young man of means, also maligned by the DeCourcys suitor of the Misses Vernon & Manwaring the Author's uncle.

Sir Reginald DeCourcy, Catherine & Reginald's elderly father Cross, Lady Susan's impoverished friend & companion, 'packs & unpacks,' etc. Charles Vernon, her obliging husband brother of the late Frederic Vernon. Reginald DeCourcy, Catherine's young & handsome brother Catherine Vernon (née DeCourcy), Lady Susan's sister-in-law Miss Frederica Susanna Vernon, a school girl of marriageable age Lady Susan's daughter. Miss Maria Manwaring, Lord Manwaring's eligible younger sister.

Lady Lucy Manwaring, his wealthy wife formerly Mr.

Lord Manwaring, a 'divinely attractive' man Johnson, Alicia's older husband to whom the great word 'respectable' applied. Alicia Johnson, an American exile Lady Susan's friend & confidante The Spinster Authoress, a writer careless of both punctuation and truth, zealous only to do the bidding of her Aristocratic patrons. Lady Susan Vernon, a charming & gracious young widow, scandalously maligned by the DeCourcys of Parklands.

Love and friendship and other early works