No man, either noble or gentle, in Derbyshire or in any of the adjoining counties, possessed so great an estate or so beautiful a hall as did he.

In France we would have called Haddon Hall a grand chateau.
Sir George's deceased wife had been a sister to the Earl of Derby, who lived at the time of which I am now writing.

The earl had a son, James, who was heir to the title and to the estates of his father.

The son was a dissipated, rustic clown--almost a simpleton.

He had the vulgarity of a stable boy and the vices of a courtier.