Doctor Thorne | Page 6

them would
have been considered to have destroyed one of the well-known
landmarks of the family.
Greshamsbury Park--properly so called--spread far away on the other
side of the village. Opposite to the two great gates leading up to the
mansion were two smaller gates, the one opening onto the stables,
kennels, and farm-yard, and the other to the deer park. This latter was
the principal entrance to the demesne, and a grand and picturesque
entrance it was. The avenue of limes which on one side stretched up to
the house, was on the other extended for a quarter of a mile, and then
appeared to be terminated only by an abrupt rise in the ground. At the
entrance there were four savages and four clubs, two to each portal, and
what with the massive iron gates, surmounted by a stone wall, on which
stood the family arms supported by two other club-bearers, the
stone-built lodges, the Doric, ivy-covered columns which surrounded
the circle, the four grim savages, and the extent of the space itself
through which the high road ran, and which just abutted on the village,
the spot was sufficiently significant of old family greatness.
Those who examined it more closely might see that under the arms was
a scroll bearing the Gresham motto, and that the words were repeated in
smaller letters under each of the savages. 'Gardez Gresham', had been
chosen in the days of motto-choosing probably by some herald-at-arms
as an appropriate legend for signifying the peculiar attributes of the

family. Now, however, unfortunately, men were not of one mind as to
the exact idea signified. Some declared, with much heraldic warmth,
that it was an address to the savages, calling on them to take care of
their patron; while others, with whom I myself am inclined to agree,
averred with equal certainty that it was an advice to the people at large,
especially to those inclined to rebel against the aristocracy of the
county, that they should 'beware the Gresham'. The latter signification
would betoken strength--so said the holders of the doctrine; the former
weakness. Now the Greshams were ever a strong people, and never
addicted to humility.
We will not pretend to decide the question. Alas! either construction
was not equally unsuited to the family fortunes. Such changes had
taken place in England since the Greshams had founded themselves
that no savage could any longer in any way protect them; they must
protect themselves like common folk, or live unprotected. Nor now was
it necessary that any neighbour should shake in his shoes when the
Gresham frowned. It would have been to be wished that the present
Gresham himself could have been as indifferent to the frowns of some
of his neighbours.
But the old symbols remained, and may such symbols long remain
among us; they are still lovely and fit to be loved. They tell us of the
true and manly feelings of other times; and to him who can read aright,
they explain more fully, more truly than any written history can do,
how Englishmen have become what they are. England is not yet a
commercial country in the sense that epithet is used for her; and let us
still hope that she will not soon become so. She might surely as well be
called feudal England, or chivalrous England. If in western civilized
Europe, there does exist a nation among whom there are high signors,
and with whom the owners of the land are the true aristocracy, the
aristocracy is trusted as being best and fittest to rule, that nation is the
English. Choose out the ten leading men of each great European people.
Choose them in France, in Austria, Sardinia, Prussia, Russia, Sweden,
Denmark, Spain (?), and then select the ten in England whose names
are best known as those of leading statesmen; the result will show in
which country there still exists the closest attachment to, the sincerest

trust in, the old feudal and now so-called landed interests.
England a commercial country! Yes; as Venice was. She may excel
other nations in commerce, but yet it is not that in which she most
prides herself, in which she most excels. Merchants as such are not the
first men among us; though it perhaps be open, barely open, to a
merchant to become one of them. Buying and selling is good and
necessary; it is very necessary, and may, possibly, be very good; but it
cannot be the noblest work of man; and let us hope that it may not be in
your time be esteemed the noblest work of any Englishman.
Greshamsbury Park was very large; it lay on the outside of the angle
formed by the village street, and stretched away on two sides without
apparent limit or boundaries visible