Probably much of the land, as it was sold piecemeal, fell into small
allotments, constantly changing hands. But the last relics of the
property were, I know, bought on speculation by Cox the distiller; for,
when we were in London, by Mr. Darrell's desire I went to look after
them, and inquire if they could be repurchased. And I found that so
rapid in a few years has been the prosperity of this great commercial
country, that if one did buy them back, one would buy twelve villas,
several streets, two squares, and a paragon! But as that symptom of
national advancement, though a proud thought in itself, may not have any
pleasing interest for you, I return to the Darrells. From the time in
which the Haughton estate had parted from them, they settled back in
their old house of Fawley. But they could never again hold up their
heads with the noblemen and great squires in the county. As much as they
could do to live at all upon the little patrimony; still the reminiscence
of what they had been made them maintain it jealously and entail it
rigidly. The eldest son would never have thought of any profession or
business; the younger sons generally became soldiers, and being always a
venturesome race, and having nothing particular to make them value their
existence, were no less generally killed off betimes. The family became
thoroughly obscure, slipped out of place in the county, seldom rose to be
even justices of the peace, never contrived to marry heiresses again,
but only the daughters of some neighbouring parson or squire as poor as
themselves, but always of gentle blood. Oh, they were as proud as
Spaniards in that respect! So from father to son, each generation grew
obscurer and poorer; for, entail the estate as they might, still some
settlements on it were necessary, and no settlements were ever brought
into it; and thus entails were cut off to admit some new mortgage, till
the rent-roll was somewhat less than L300 a year when Mr. Darrell's
father came into possession. Yet somehow or other he got to college,
where no Darrell had been since the time of the Glorious Revolution, and