John Ballantyne, William Powell Frith Painting the Princess of Wales
Two maiden aunts compete for the guardianship of their orphaned niece.
The title is misleading: the book has nothing to do with women’s political ambitions. Rather, it’s another example (see Novel 029), from rather late in her career, of the bright and vivid social comedy at which Frances Milton Trollope excelled.
“This is a novel rich in all the attractions” that novels provide: “First, character skilfully painted and boldly relieved . . . Next . . . abundance of incident, much varied, and always catching attention. In the third place, a story progressively engaging our sympathies . . . and at last wound up in to a very ingeniously complicated plot.” Standard, August 9, 1850
“Mrs. Trollope appears in this novel to have recalled the most vigorous days of her genius.” Critic, August 15, 1850.
Download this week’s novel:
v.1 https://archive.org/details/petticoatgovernm01trolrich