Philip Gilbert Hamerton | Page 5

the road, from which it is separated by a little enclosure, that may
be called a garden if you will. When I was a child, there were two or
three poplar trees in that enclosure before the house; but trees do not
prosper there, and now there is probably not one on the whole estate.
One end of the house (which is rather long for its height and depth)
abuts against the hill, and close behind it is the cotton-mill which my
grandfather worked, with no great profit to himself or advantage to his
descendants. I have mentioned a road that passes the house; it is steep,
narrow, and inconvenient. It leads up to an elevated tract of the most
dreary country that can be imagined, but there are one or two fields on
the Laneside estate, above the stone-quarry, from which there is a good
view in the direction of Rochdale.
I never knew my grandfather Cocker, but have heard that he was a
lively and vigorous man, who enjoyed life very heartily in his way. He
married a Miss Crompton, who had a little property and was descended
from the De Cromptons of Crompton Hall. I am not aware that she had
any family pride, but, like most people in that neighborhood, she had a
great appreciation of the value of money, and when she was left alone
with her daughter, in consequence of Philip Cocker's premature death,
she was more inclined to favor wealthy than impecunious suitors. My
father had come to Shaw as a young attorney some time before he
asked for Anne Cocker in marriage. He had very little to recommend
him except a fine person, great physical strength, and fifteen
quarterings. He had a reputation for rather dissolute habits, was a good
horseman, an excellent shot, looked very well in a ball-room, and these,
I believe, were all his advantages, save an unhappy faculty for shining
in such masculine company as he could find in a Lancashire village in
the days of George IV. Money he had none, except what he earned in
his profession, at one time rather a good income.
Miss Anne Cocker was a young lady with a will of her own, associated,

I have been told (the two characteristics are by no means incompatible),
with a very sweet and amiable disposition. At a time when my
grandmother still vigorously opposed the match with my father, there
happened to be a public charity ball in Shaw, and Miss Cocker showed
her intentions in a very decided manner, by declining to dance with
several gentlemen until the young lawyer presented himself, when she
rose immediately with a very gracious smile, which was observed by
all near enough to witness it. This was rather unkind perhaps to the
other aspirants, and is, in fact, scarcely defensible, but it was Miss
Cocker's way of declaring her intentions publicly. When my father
made his offer, he was refused by my grandmother's orders, but
received encouragement from her daughter (a tone of voice, or a look,
yet more a tear, would be enough for a lover's hope), and counted upon
the effects of perseverance. At length, when he and Miss Cocker
thought they had waited long enough, they determined to marry
without Mrs. Cocker's consent, and the determination was notified to
my grandmother in the following very decided terms:--
"DR. Madam,--You are no doubt well aware of the warm attachment
which has long existed betwixt your dear daughter and myself.
Upwards of twelve months ago our affections were immovably fixed
upon each other, and I now consider it my duty to inform you that we
are fully engaged, and have finally concluded to be married within a
fortnight of the present time.
"I sincerely trust that all your hostile feelings towards me are entirely
worn out, and that you will receive me as the affectionate husband of
your beloved daughter, and I with great confidence hope we shall be a
happy family and live together with peace and harmony.
"At my request your daughter will have all her property settled upon
herself, so that I can have no control over it--thus leaving it impossible
that I should waste it. And I trust that by an active attention to my
profession I may be enabled not inconsiderably to augment it.
"Be assured, Dear Madam, that your daughter and myself feel no little
solicitude for your comfort and happiness, and that we shall at all times
be most happy to promote them.

"It is our mutual and most anxious wish that you should not attempt to
throw any obstacle in the way of our marriage, as the only tendency it
could have under present circumstances would be to lessen the
happiness and comfort of our union.
"We trust therefore that