William Etty, Crochet Worker
A man’s widow is disinherited in favor of a kinsman.
Here is another excellent novel by the excellent Annie French, née Hector, for whom see Novels 001, 063, 113, and 168.
“The situation is striking, and is admirably described”; and the main character’s inner conflict “is given with much power. The minor characters, too, are excellent. . . . In fact, the whole story is as clever and readable a thing as we have lately seen.” Spectator, May 27, 1876
The author “is always good-humoured even when satirical, and she is discreet in her sympathy with her characters”; she “is always bright, amiable, and amusing”; the plot “is excellently done; there is not a touch too many, not an indication too broad, but all is painted in with the lightness and delicacy which distinguish Mrs. Alexander’s style, and which we find wonderfully refreshing after so much that is heavy . . . in modern literature.” Saturday Review, June 3, 1876
A contrasting view:
“Mrs. Alexander will not add to the reputation her earlier books earned for her by the present novel, though it is a fair enough story as times go. . . . The two [main] characters are rather coarsely drawn.” Athenaeum, April 22, 1876
Download this week’s novel:
https://solo.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/permalink/f/89vilt/oxfaleph014209880 (Right-click (or control-click, if you have a Mac) on the “view digitized copy” links to download the novel’s three volumes in pdf form)