PREFACE
The pedigrees of our county families, arranged in diagrams on the pages of county histories, mostly appear at first sight to be as barren of any touch of nature as a table of logarithms. But given a clue - the faintest tradition of what went on behind the scenes, and this dry ness as of dust may be transformed into a palpitating drama. More the careful comparison of dates alone that of birth with marriage, of marriage with death, of one marriage, birth, or death with a kindred marriage, birth, or death-will often effect the same transformation, and anybody practised in raising images from such genealogies finds himself unconsciously filling into the framework the motives, passions, and personal qualities which would appear to be the single explanation possible of some extraordinary conjunction in times, events, and personages that occasionally marks these reticent family records. Out of such pedigrees and sup-
plementary material most of the following stories have arisen and taken shape. I would make this preface an opportunity of expressing my sense of the courtesy and kindness of several bright-eyed Noble Dames yet in the flesh, who, since the first publication ofthese tales in periodicals, six or seven years ago, have given me interesting comments and conjectures on such of the narratives as they have recognized to be connected with their own families, residences, or traditions; in which they have shown a truly philosophic absence of prejudice in their regard of those incidents whose relation has tended more distinctly to dramatize than to eulogize their ancestors. The outlines they have also given of other singular events in their, family histories for use in a second 'Group of Noble Dames' will, I fear, never reach the printing-press through me; but I shall store them up in memory of my informants' good
nature. The tales were first collected and published in their present form in 1891.

Thomas Hardy June 1896

Ten short stories are ranged from a 'store of ladies, whose bright eyes rain influence - LAllegro'.

In 'A Group of Noble Dames' Hardy plumbs the hidden depths of country families and reveals what went on behind the scenes transferring half-remembered incidents into absorbing dramas. They are an interesting group for all their different reasons. They have strong characters, their love lives are complicated, they show bravery and loyalty. The whole is wrapped around as a portmanteau story with the conceit of each being told by a member of the Wessex Field and Antiquarian Club. This was an activity in which Hardy had a great deal of interest, and it was his digging into archives that inspired this book and some other short stories.

With his accute observation to detail, so familiar from his main classic novels, and with the subtlest of irony, he brings his unique vitality to the subjects.

The group of friends from the Wessex Field and Antiquarian Club are each encouraged to recount the stories of ten memorable ladies.

Part First - Before Dinner

Dame the First. The first Countess of Wessex by the Local Historian.

Dame the Second. Barbara of the House of Grebe by the Old Surgeon.

Dame the Third. The Marchioness of Stonehenge by the the Rural Dean

Dame the Fourth. Lady Mottisfont by the Sentimental Member.

 

Part Second - After Dinner

Dame the Fifth. The Lady Icenway by the Churchwarden

Dame the Sixth. Squire Patrick's Lady by the Crimson Malster.

Dame the Seventh. Anna, Lady Baxby by the Colonel

Dame the Eighth. The Lady Penelope by the the Family Man.

Dame the Ninth. The Duchess of Hamptonshire by the Quet Gentalmen

Dame the Tenth. The Honourable Laura by the Spark