Project Gutenberg's The History of Henry Esmond, Esq., by W. M. Thackeray

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

Title: The History of Henry Esmond, Esq.

Author: W. M. Thackeray

Release Date: May 18, 2006 [EBook #2511]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HISTORY OF HENRY ESMOND, ESQ. ***

Produced by Donald Lainson; David Widger

THE HISTORY OF HENRY ESMOND, ESQ.

A COLONEL IN THE SERVICE OF HER MAJESTY QUEEN ANNE

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF

By William Makepeace Thackeray

Boston, Estes and Lauriat, Publishers

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE

WILLIAM BINGHAM, LORD ASHBURTON.

MY DEAR LORD,

The writer of a book which copies the manners and language of Queen
Anne's time, must not omit the Dedication to the Patron; and I ask leave
to inscribe this volume to your Lordship, for the sake of the great
kindness and friendship which I owe to you and yours.

My volume will reach you when the Author is on his voyage to a country
where your name is as well known as here. Wherever I am, I shall
gratefully regard you; and shall not be the less welcomed in America
because I am,

Your obliged friend and servant,

W. M. THACKERAY.

LONDON, October 18, 1852.

PREFACE.

THE ESMONDS OF VIRGINIA.

The estate of Castlewood, in Virginia, which was given to our ancestors
by King Charles the First, as some return for the sacrifices made in
his Majesty's cause by the Esmond family, lies in Westmoreland county,
between the rivers Potomac and Rappahannock, and was once as great as
an English Principality, though in the early times its revenues were
but small. Indeed, for near eighty years after our forefathers possessed
them, our plantations were in the hands of factors, who enriched
themselves one after another, though a few scores of hogsheads of
tobacco were all the produce that, for long after the Restoration, our
family received from their Virginian estates.

My dear and honored father, Colonel Henry Esmond, whose history, written
by himself, is contained in the accompanying volume, came to Virginia
in the year 1718, built his house of Castlewood, and here permanently
settled. After a long stormy life in England, he p