This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1852 edition. Excerpt: ... for her maid could be arranged, Mrs. Grimshaw made her entry, utterly regardless of the state of every thing around her. The garden was now one pool of mud, diversified by a few wells of mortar, heaps of stones, and other building materials, and the house door could only be reached by stepping from plank to plank, and from stone to stone. Over these mud heaps, however, the invalid lady contrived to climb, and ensconsed herself among her works; and soon the wonderfully changed appearance of those rooms which had undergone renewal, gave tokens of the improvements, which, in the course of time, i might be expected without; and though all 'was done in a simple and inexpenivc. style, and the furnishing and filling up were somewhat old fashioned, there was an air of comfort and of home diffused through the whole, which led to the idea that Mrs. Grimshaw had an eye for detecting capabilities, and a mind that would not be daunted by petty difficulties. But Mrs. Grimshaw's garden is the subject we have to discuss, and not the house. Of the future state of this, she seemed to have some very pleasing provisions. She appeared to have it all before her mind's eye, redolent of perfumes, glowing with flowers, a place where she might walk, and sit, and meditate, and from which the greatest enjoyment and credit would accrue to her.--But when I left Morton in November, such as I have described was the dismal state of this rather swamp than garden; and I confess I somewhat pitied the poor visionary, and doubted how far her hobby would carry her before it left her floundering in the mire, amid which her imagination was at work. I was several months from home, and some weeks elapsed after my return, before my steps were turned in the direction of Mrs....