Henry Nelson O’Neil, Painting con Amore
The beautiful daughter of a miserly gardener craves money and social position.
Katharine S. Macquoid (1824-1917) wrote some fifty novels between 1862 and 1898; of this one she was particularly proud: in 1898 she was still identifying herself on her title pages as “Author of ‘Patty.’”
“A pleasant novel; not, perhaps, of the highest class, but, on the whole, well imagined, and satisfactorily worked out.” Athenaeum, December 2, 1871
“The authoress of this novel combines several very unusual excellencies. The materials of the story and of the plot are derived from the commonplaces of fiction, and from the events of ordinary life. . . . A group of imperfect, abnormally defective humanities, all distinguished by strong impulses, lack of ballast, and subtle selfishness are brought into contact. . . . There are many admirably drawn portraits, there is in it a high moral tone blended with a fine appreciation of natural and artistic beauty, and a blessed absence of cant.” British Quarterly Review, January, 1872
A contrasting view:
“All the characters in it, all the interests which it involves, are small. . . . It is impossible to care very much about the human beings in the story”; however, it “stands considerably above the level of the average novel. The literary skill which the writer displays throughout is of no common kind, and there are fine things in the narrative.” Spectator, February 24, 1872
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