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

Download this week’s novel:

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

Download this week’s novel:

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

Download this week’s novel:

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

Download this week’s novel:

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

Download this week’s novel:

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

Crossword 181: Digital Waste

 
Dante Gabriel Rossetti, The Beautiful Hand

Dante Gabriel Rossetti, The Beautiful Hand

 

Are you aware that, in the course of a lifetime, the average American adult discards enough ones and zeros to fill seven virtual football stadiums?  It’s just one more way that technology is making our world into a dystopian hellscape.  I’m thinking of doing my part to reverse this trend by etching my crosswords in stone the old-fashioned way and delivering them by ox-drawn carts.  Subscription fees may rise, of course, but won’t it be worth it?  What can equal the sound, the smell, the tactile thrill, of entering your answers in granite, with a chisel?

Download this week’s crossword:

181-Digital-Waste.puz

181-Digital-Waste.pdf

Solve this week’s crossword online:

181 Digital Waste

Crossword 180: Globalization

 
James Jacques Joseph Tissot, Young Ladies Looking at Japanese Objects

James Jacques Joseph Tissot, Young Ladies Looking at Japanese Objects

 

For me, crosswords aren’t about wordplay, enigmas, and such contemptible stuff, they’re about making the world a better place.  Here’s a puzzle that not only mentions good things (many other constructors justly praise themselves and each other for that), it actively promotes cultural exchange, global understanding, world peace, united human progress towards a brighter future!  Solve it and become a better person!

Download this week’s crossword:

180-Globalization.puz

180-Globalization.pdf

Solve this week’s crossword online:

180 Globalization

Pointing Hand.png

A crossword of mine appears tomorrow, May 2, in Universal Crossword (on that day, an Across Lite version may be downloaded here).