



Produced by Shaun Pinder and the Online Distributed
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                            ALICE LORRAINE:
                     _A TALE OF THE SOUTH DOWNS_.

                                  BY
                     RICHARD DODDRIDGE BLACKMORE,
           AUTHOR OF “THE MAID OF SKER,” “LORNA DOONE,” ETC.

                οὕτως ἔχει σοι ταῦτα, καὶ δείξεις τάχα,
                εἴτ’ εὐγενὴς πέφυκας, εἴτ’ ἐσθλῶν κακή.
                                                    SOPH. _Ant._

                      _NEW AND CHEAPER EDITION._

                                LONDON:
                    SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & COMPANY,
                              _LIMITED_,
                         St. Dunstan’s House,
                    FETTER LANE, FLEET STREET, E.C.

                                 1893.

                                LONDON:
             PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED,
                  STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.

                                  To
                  PROFESSOR OWEN, C.B., F.R.S., &c.,
                     WITH THE WRITER’S GRATITUDE,
                   FOR WORDS OF TRUE ENCOURAGEMENT,
                      AND MANY ACTS OF KINDNESS,
                               This Work
                      MOST HEARTILY IS DEDICATED

                            _April, 1875._




CONTENTS.


     CHAPTER                                       PAGE
          I.--ALL IN THE DOWNS                        1
         II.--COOMBE LORRAINE                         3
        III.--LINEAGE AND LINEAMENTS                  5
         IV.--FATHER AND FAVOURITE                    7
          V.--THE LEGEND OF THE ASTROLOGER           11
         VI.--THE LEGEND CONTINUED                   14
        VII.--THE LEGEND CONCLUDED                   17
       VIII.--ASTROLOGICAL FORECAST                  20
         IX.--THE LEGACY OF THE ASTROLOGER           24
          X.--A BOY AND A DONKEY                     27
         XI.--CHAMBER PRACTICE                       35
        XII.--WITH THE COSTERMONGERS                 45
       XIII.--TO THE CHERRY-ORCHARDS                 49
        XIV.--BEAUTIES OF THE COUNTRY                55
         XV.--OH, RUDDIER THAN THE CHERRY!           59
        XVI.--OH, SWEETER THAN THE BERRY!            66
       XVII.--VERY SHY THINGS                        72
      XVIII.--THE KEY OF THE GATE                    78
        XIX.--FOUR YOUNG LADIES                      84
         XX.--A RECTOR OF THE OLDEN STYLE            92
        XXI.--A NOTABLE LADY                         96
       XXII.--A MALIGNANT CASE                      100
      XXIII.--THE BAITER BAITED                     105
       XXIV.--A FATHERLY SUGGESTION                 109
        XXV.--THE WELL OF THE SIBYL                 112
       XXVI.--AN OPPORTUNE ENVOY                    117
      XXVII.--A GOOD PARSON’S HOLIDAY               121
     XXVIII.--NOT TO BE RESISTED                    126
       XXIX.--ABSURD SURDS                          130
        XXX.--OUR LAD STEENIE                       135
       XXXI.--IN A MARCHING REGIMENT                139
      XXXII.--PUBLIC AND PRIVATE OPINION            144
     XXXIII.--RAGS AND BONES                        149
      XXXIV.--UNDER DEADLY FIRE                     157
       XXXV.--HOW TO FRY NO PANCAKES                161
      XXXVI.--LADY COKE UPON LITTLETON              166
     XXXVII.--ACHES _v._ ACRES                      172
    XXXVIII.--IN THE DEADLY BREACH                  177
      XXXIX.--SHERRY SACK                           183
         XL.--BENEATH BRIGHT EYES                   191
        XLI.--DONNAS PRAY AND PRACTISE              195
       XLII.--AN UNWELCOME ESCORT                   200
      XLIII.--IN AMONG THE BIG-WIGS                 209
       XLIV.--HOW TO TAKE BAD TIDINGS               216
        XLV.--INNOCENCE IN NO SENSE                 220
       XLVI.--HARD RIDING AND HARD READING          226
      XLVII.--TRY TO THINK THE BEST OF