Novel 189: Frances Milton Trollope, The Widow Barnaby (1839)

 
Frederick Daniel Hardy, The Necklace 

Frederick Daniel Hardy, The Necklace 

 

A self-assured social upstart makes her way in the world.

For Trollope, see Novels 029, 079, 138.  This is the first installment of a trilogy featuring the title character.

Readers “will be presently enchained in the interest of the tale; for Mrs. Trollope’s usual merit—that of directness of purpose, and a strong belief and interest in her own subject—does not forsake her in the present instance. . . .  The tale proceeds naturally, cheerfully, steadily, till the third volume is half over; when a harlequinade of forced combinations and improbable adventures commences. . . .  The Widow’s earlier achievements are a genuine and amusing comedy. . . . The account of her earliest exploits . . . is almost worthy of the authoress of ‘Pride and Prejudice:’ higher praise we scarcely know how to give.” Athenaeum, January 5, 1839

“To be sure the writer’s vulgarism, prejudices, and forced combination of melo-dramatic circumstances . . . mar the character of the work; but more than one of the personae dramatis, especially ‘The Widow,’ are originals, and yet truth-speaking portraits.  The localities where the story developes itself, such as Clifton, Cheltenham, are capitally sketched, with all their provincial ambitions, scandals, and shabbiness.” Monthly Review, March, 1839

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v.1 https://archive.org/details/widowbarnaby01trolrich

v.2 https://archive.org/details/widowbarnaby02trolrich

v.3 https://archive.org/details/widowbarnaby03trolrich

Novel 187: Anne Marsh-Caldwell, The Wilmingtons (1850)

 
Sir Francis Grant, Mrs. Margaret Hick 

Sir Francis Grant, Mrs. Margaret Hick 

 

A virtuous young man loves an even more virtuous young woman, but is encumbered with a not-so-virtuous father.

Here is another novel by Marsh-Caldwell (see Novel 069), uninhibitedly moralistic, but expert in plot and character.

“Though this tale is more tedious in its preamble—more precipitous in its conclusion than can be accredited” it “contains scenes” no other author “could have written so well.  Few will be able to escape from her new story when once they have entered on it:  few will question the vitality of some of its characters, and the force of some of its situations.” Athenaeum, January 12, 1850

“The characters are sketched with great talent, the incidents are described with vigour and effect, and, above all, the workings of the heart are wrought out in earnest, passionate language.” New Monthly Magazine, February, 1850

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v.1 https://archive.org/details/wilmingtonsnovel01mars

v.2 https://archive.org/details/wilmingtonsnovel02mars

v.2 https://archive.org/details/wilmingtonsnovel03mars

Novel 185: Cecil Maxwell, A Story of Three Sisters (1874)

 
Sir William Blake Richmond - The Sisters.jpg
 

Sir William Blake Richmond, The Sisters

Three middle-class sisters grow up and find various fates.

Nothing is known about Cecil Maxwell, except that she (he?) wrote this one novel—a very good one, on the whole. All through its beginning and middle it is excellent in its kind, with complex, well-defined characters placed in interesting situations.  Its end is marred by the sort of lover’s-misunderstanding plot that mars so many Victorian novels—the sort of misunderstanding occasioned by the inexplicable failure of A to ask B a simple yes/no question. But if you accept the premise that anybody might ever act that way, even the ending, though sad, isn’t bad.

“We cannot now do justice to the spirit and verve of ‘A Story of Three Sisters.’  It is full of brightness and colour.  It is a poet’s novel. . . .  The writer . . . is a very close observer of character and motives.” Westminster Review, January 1875

“This is a well-written story of common-place life, without much incident and without any exaggeration; it is carefully studied and well disseminated.” British Quarterly Review, January 1875

“The charming Story of Three Sisters owes . . . much of its attraction to a pure and graceful style. . . .  The characters . . . are drawn with tender care and feeling. . . .  It is rare to find so nearly perfect . . . a story . . . , which is one to linger over, and return to with a sort of nostalgie.”  Academy, January 30, 1874

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v.1 http://access.bl.uk/item/viewer/ark:/81055/vdc_000000043BF0#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=8&xywh=-492%2C0%2C3639%2C1973

v.2 http://access.bl.uk/item/viewer/ark:/81055/vdc_000000043BF6#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=6&xywh=-488%2C0%2C3618%2C1962

Novel 184: Anna Harriet Drury, Deep Waters (1863)

 
Abraham Solomon - The Bride.jpg
 

Abraham Solomon, The Bride

A gentleman accused of fraud in a bank failure is loved by two good women.

Here is another novel by Drury (see Novel 64), featuring, amid a great deal of virtuous suffering, an eventful plot and some well-drawn characters.

“A thoroughly readable story, well written and well worked out, if due allowance be made for the improbabilities of the plot.” Westminster Review, July, 1863

“The plot is original, and well managed throughout, the characters well conceived and sustained. . . . the style pure, simple, and unaffected, and the interest uninterrupted.” Continental Monthly, January 1864

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v.1 https://archive.org/details/deepwatersnovel01drur

v.2 https://archive.org/details/deepwatersnovel02drur

v.3 https://archive.org/details/deepwatersnovel03drur

Novel 183: Bithia Mary Croker, The Cat's-Paw (1902)

 
Sydney Prior Hall, The Maharani of Cooch Behar.jpg
 

Sydney Prior Hall, The Maharani of Cooch Behar

A virtuous young lady, orphaned and unwanted by relatives, is lured to India, where she has diverse adventures.

Here is another novel by Croker (see Novels 013, 073, 129), with a good (if somewhat episodic) plot, sharply defined characters, and a vividly realized setting.

The novel presents “the conditions and circumstances of Anglo-Indian life . . . as well as authors who take themselves more seriously. . . . The best part of the story is the picture of a third rate boarding house.” Athenaeum, March 1, 1902

“The book is fresh and vivacious; the pictures of Indian life are vivid and convincing.” Saturday Review, March 15, 1902

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https://books.google.com/books?id=Qh0mAAAAMAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=editions%3AoGWMJUprgrUC&pg=PP12#v=onepage&q&f=false

Novel 179: Mary Louisa Molesworth, She was Young and He was Old (1872)

 
Sophie Anderson, Portrait Of Young Girl

Sophie Anderson, Portrait Of Young Girl

 

A virtuous young lady marries a middle-aged attorney to please her dying mother.

Here is another novel by the other Molesworth (see Novel 100), with well-defined characters placed in a carefully developed, interestingly uncomfortable situation. 

“We have read it with a pleasure which is due partly to the inherent interest of the subject, hackneyed as it is, but mainly to the quiet dignity of the style, and a certain sub-acid flavour discernible throughout.” Molesworth has “hit off many of the weak points of provincial life.” Athenaeum, January 27, 1872

“The author . . . is an exceedingly graceful writer, with a good deal of literary taste.  Her pair of sisters have evidently been a work of love, and some pride as well.  We may congratulate her on a success.”  The main character “is certainly made so life-like that we have learned to look at her with her creator’s partial eyes.” Saturday Review, June 15, 1872

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http://solo.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/permalink/f/89vilt/oxfaleph014012488

Novel 174: Lucy B. Walford, Cousins (1879)

 
Edwin Longsden Long, The Cousins 

Edwin Longsden Long, The Cousins 

 

Three sisters react to the return of their wealthy and distinguished cousin from India.

This novel provides a generous sampling of its author’s characteristically deft social comedy (see Novels 018, 066, 121), despite a sometimes annoying plot.

“There is a resemblance in the manner of handling to Miss Austen’s manner, especially in the first volume; and when it is said that Cousins does not come too discreditably out of the comparison, we need not say that a very high compliment is thereby paid to the author.” Academy, July 26, 1879

“It is, in part at least, a very good novel—one of the best that we have read for a long time.  The situation . . . upon which it turns is . . . novel and . . . has great capabilities. . . .  Its great attraction lies in the delicacy of the character drawing, in the charming domestic sketches in which it abounds, and in the natural and easy dialogue which is so rare an accomplishment with novelists.  The first volume, which is far the best, will remind many readers of Miss Austen’s work, and it would be impossible to give it higher praise.” Manchester Guardian, August 18, 1879

Its “success is, in our judgment, decided”; it is “as careful and honest as it is modest and pure.   The purpose of the story is kept in view throughout; there are no tricks of style or language, and there is no padding.” Saturday Review, August 30, 1879

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v.1 https://archive.org/details/cousins01walfo

v.2 https://archive.org/details/cousins02walf

v.3 https://archive.org/details/cousins03walf

Novel 171: Cecil Clayton, Azalea (1876)

 
Margaret Sarah Carpenter, Lady Harriet Hamilton 

Margaret Sarah Carpenter, Lady Harriet Hamilton 

 

A girl, raised to the age of twelve in the Italian Alps by the widowed daughter of a Jewish silk-merchant, is on her mother's death adopted by her English uncle.

About Cecil Clayton nothing is known, except that two novels appeared under this name, Effie’s Game in 1873 and this one three years later.  It has some excellent characters, a good style, and a pleasantly untroubled plot, as though the author were too soft-hearted to inflict much pain on her (or his?) creations. 

“Azalea is a story which, without having anything new either in plot or characters, is distinctly easy and pleasant to read, in consequence of its thoroughly cultured and well-bred tone.” Academy, September 9, 1876

“People whose nerves have been shaken by overwork or anxiety, people who wish to forget that there are such things as passion and suffering in the world, should read this smoothest of all smooth tales, and enjoy the society of the innocent persons.  The worst characters in Azalea are sometimes flippant or a little peevish, but their failings are never allowed to interfere with the tranquil happiness of the hero and heroine.” Saturday Review, September 16, 1876

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https://books.google.com/books?id=o2tTPrSSiosC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=azalea%20cecil%20clayton&pg=PA7#v=onepage&q=azalea%20cecil%20clayton&f=false