Alas! either construction was now equally unsuited to the family fortunes.

Such changes had taken place in England since the Greshams had founded themselves that no savage could any longer in any way protect them; they must protect themselves like common folk, or live unprotected.

Nor now was it necessary that any neighbour should shake in his shoes when the Gresham frowned.

It would have been to be wished that the present Gresham himself could have been as indifferent to the frowns of some of his neighbours.
But the old symbols remained, and may such symbols long remain among us; they are still lovely and fit to be loved.

They tell us of the true and manly feelings of other times; and to him who can read aright, they explain more fully, more truly than any written history can do, how Englishmen have become what they are.