The Last Puritan: A Memoir in the Form of a NovelPublished in 1935, George Santayana's The Last Puritan was the American philosopher's only novel and it became an instant best seller, immediately linked in its painful voyage of self-discovery to The Education of Henry Adams. It is essentially a novel of ideas expressed in the birth, life, and early death of Oliver Alden. Oliver escapes puritanical self-destruction, the inability to celebrate life, through a form of self-knowledge that Santayana endorses throughout his moral philosophy. |
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admired American beautiful become better Black Swan Bobby Boston Bowler cabin called Claverley cold comfort course Cousin Caleb dear Denis Murphy Doctor door Edith Eton everything expected eyes father feel felt football Fräulein gentleman Goethe half hand happened happy Harvard hated heart heraldry human Iffley Irma Jacob's ladder Jim's keep knew lady laughed least Letitia Lamb live look Lord Jim Mario marriage marry matter mind moral morning mother Nathaniel nature never nice night Oliver Oliver's once perhaps Plato play pleasure poor puritan religion Rose round seemed side smile sort soul spirit Stillman Infirmary suppose sure talk tell there's things thought trouble truth turn Vanny Vicar walk Walt Whitman Weyer whole Williams College woman women wonderful words yacht young