—fromTheManofProperty(Chapter1)
JohnGalsworthy
[1]ThoseprivilegedtobepresentatafamilyfestivaloftheForsyteshaveseenthatcharmingandinstructivesight— (atalentwithoutmonetaryvalueandproperlyignoredbytheForsytes), haswitnessedaspectacle, notonlydelightfulinitself, , hehasgleanedfromagatheringofthisfamily—nobranchofwhichhadalikingfortheother, betweennothreemembersofwhomexistedanythingworthyofthenameofsympathy—evidenceofthatmysteriousconcretetenacitywhichrendersafamilysoformidableaunitofsociety, , hasunderstoodsomethingofpatriarchallife, oftheswarmingofsavagehordes, , havingwatchedatreegrowfromitsplanting—aparagonoftenacity, insulation , andsuccess, amidstthedeathsofahundredotherplantslessfibrous, sappy, andpersistent—onedaywillseeitflourishingwithbland, fullfoliage , inanalmostrepugnantprosperity, atthesummitofitsefflorescence.
[2]OnJune15, 1886 , aboutfouroftheafternoon, theobserverwhochancedtobepresentatthehouseofoldJolyonForsyteinStanhopeGate, mighthaveseenthehighestefflorescenceoftheForsytes.
[3]Thiswastheoccasionofan “athome”tocelebratetheengagementofMissJuneForsyte, oldJolyon’sgranddaughter, , buffwaistcoats, feathersandfrocks, thefamilywerepresent, evenAuntAnn, whonowbutseldomleftthecornerofherbrotherTimothy’sgreendrawing-room, where, undertheaegisofaplumeofdyedpampasgrassinalightbluevase, shesatalldayreadingandknitting, ; herinflexibleback, andthedignityofhercalmoldfacepersonifyingtherigidpossessivenessofthefamilyidea.
