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Love Romances of the Aristocracy

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<h1>LOVE ROMANCES OF THE ARISTOCRACY</h1> <h3>By</h3> <h2>THORNTON HALL, F.S.A.</h2> BARRISTER-AT-LAW AUTHOR OF "LOVE INTRIGUES OF ROYAL COURTS," ETC. ETC. ILLUSTRATED LONDON T. WERNER LAURIE CLIFFORD'S INN <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/front-t.jpg" alt="ELIZABETH, DUCHESS OF HAMILTON" title="ELIZABETH, DUCHESS OF HAMILTON" /></div> TO MRS TOM HESKETH L'amitié est l'amour sans ailes <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <h2>PREFACE</h2> My object in writing this book has been to present as many phases as possible of the strangely romantic story of the British Peerage, so that those who have not the time or facilities for exploring the library of books over which these stories are scattered, may be able, within the compass of a single volume, to review the panorama of our aristocracy, with its tragedy and comedy, its romance and pathos, its foibles and its follies, in a few hours of what I sincerely hope will prove agreeable reading. If my book gives to any reader a fraction of the pleasure I have derived from its writing, I shall be more than rewarded for a labour which has been to me a delight. THORNTON HALL. As love plays a prominent part in at least twenty of these stones, and is only really absent from one or two of them, I venture to hope that my good friends, the reviewers, who have been so kind to my previous books, will not find fault with my title, which, more accurately than any other I can think of, describes the nature and scope of my book. T.H. <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <h2>CONTENTS</h2> <ul class="TOC"> <li>CHAP.PAGE <ol class="TOC"> <li>A PRINCESS OF PRUDES 1</li> <li>THE NIGHTINGALE OF BATH 21</li> <li>THE ROMANCE OF THE VILLIERS 36</li> <li>THE STAIN ON THE SHIRLEY 'SCUTCHEON 51</li> <li>A GHOSTLY VISITANT 62</li> <li>A MESSALINA OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY 74</li> <li>A PROFLIGATE PRINCE 87</li> <li>THE GORGEOUS COUNTESS 96</li> <li>A QUEEN OF COQUETTES 110</li> <li>THE ADVENTURES OF A VISCOUNT'S DAUGHTER127</li> <li>A SIXTEENTH CENTURY ELOPEMENT 136</li> <li>TRAGEDIES OF THE TURF 148</li> <li>THE WICKED BARON 165</li> <li>A FAIR INTRIGANTE 177</li> <li>THE MERRY DUCHESS 195</li> <li>THE KING AND THE PRETTY HAYMAKER 207</li> <li>THE COUNTESS WHO MARRIED HER GROOM 222</li> <li>A NOBLE VAGABOND 231</li> <li>FOOTLIGHTS AND CORONETS 243</li> <li>A PEASANT COUNTESS 256</li> <li>THE FAVOURITE OF A QUEEN 266</li> <li>TWO IRISH BEAUTIES 282</li> <li>THE MYSTERIOUS TWINS 298</li> <li>THE MAYPOLE DUCHESS 316</li> <li>THE ROMANCE OF FAMILY TREES 326</li> </ol> </li> </ul> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> <ul class="LOI"> <li>ELIZABETH, DUCHESS OF HAMILTON Frontispiece</li> <li>FRANCES, DUCHESS OF RICHMOND to face page 18</li> <li>MARGUERITE, COUNTESS OF BLESSINGTON 98</li> <li>SARAH, DUCHESS OF MARLBOROUGH 110</li> <li>LOUISE, DUCHESS OF PORTSMOUTH 184</li> <li>HARRIET, DUCHESS OF ST ALBANS 252</li> <li>ROBERT DUDLEY, EARL OF LEICESTER 266</li> <li>MARIA, COUNTESS OF COVENTRY 288</li> </ul> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <h2>LOVE ROMANCES OF THE ARISTOCRACY.</h2> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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