The Development of the English Novel |
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Adam Bede adventure Amadis de Gaula Amelia appeared beautiful becomes Bulwer burlesque castle Cervantes chapter characters Charles Charlotte Brontë Clara Reeve Clarissa Harlowe comedy contemporary criticism death Defoe Dickens drama Edgeworth eighteenth century Elizabethan England English fiction epic ethical Fielding French friends George Eliot Gothic romance heart Henry hero heroine historical romance human humor humorists Humphry Clinker ideal imagination imitations incidents Jane Austen Jane Eyre Jones Lady letters literary literature Lond London lovers manners Maria Edgeworth marriage marry mediæval ment Meredith Miss moral narrative never novelists Pamela passion pathos picaresque novel Pickwick plot popular Pride and Prejudice prose published reader realistic Richardson ridicule rogue satire scenes Scotch Scott sentimental Shakespeare sketches Smollett social spirit Sterne Stevenson story style tale Thackeray Thackeray's tion Tom Jones tragedy Trollope Vanity Fair vols Waverley woman women writing written wrote young
Popular passages
Page 176 - LIFE IN LONDON : or, the Day and Night Scenes of Jerry Hawthorn, Esq., and his Elegant Friend, Corinthian Tom.
Page 249 - In old days there were angels who came and took men by the hand and led them away from the city of destruction. We see no white-winged angels now. -But yet men are led away from threatening destruction: a hand is put into theirs, which leads them forth gently towards a calm and bright land, so that they look no more backward; and the hand may be a little child's.
Page 120 - The work is rather too light, and bright, and sparkling; it wants shade ; it wants to be stretched out here and there with a long chapter of sense, if it could be had ; if not, of solemn specious nonsense, about something unconnected with the story ; an essay on writing, a critique on Walter Scott, or the history of Buonaparte", or anything that would form a contrast, and bring the reader with increased delight to the playfulness and epigrammatism of the general style.
Page 74 - Go," says he, one day at dinner, to an over-grown one, which had buzzed about his nose, and tormented him cruelly all dinner-time, and which, after infinite attempts, he had caught at last as it flew by him. " I'll not hurt thee," says my Uncle Toby, rising from his chair, and going across the room with the fly in his hand. " I'll not hurt a hair of thy head. Go," says he, liftin<* up the sash, and opening his hand as he spoke to let it escape.
Page 73 - Jonathan (for that was the coachman's name), or Shrovetide, or any tide or time past, to this? Are we not here now, continued the corporal (striking the end of his stick perpendicularly upon the floor, so as to give an idea of health and stability) — and are we not — (dropping his hat upon the ground) gone!
Page 74 - I'll not hurt thee, says my uncle Toby, rising from his chair, and going across the room, with the fly in his hand, - I'll not hurt a hair of thy head: - Go...
Page 248 - But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.
Page 83 - He seized her hand — a languid colour reddened his cheek — a smile brightened faintly in his eye. As he gazed on her, it grew dim, it fixed, it closed — He sighed and fell back on his seat — Miss Walton screamed at the sight — His aunt and the servants rushed into the room — They found them lying motionless together. — His physician happened to call at that instant. Every art was tried to recover them — With Miss Walton they succeeded — But Harley was gone for ever.
Page 277 - The sun, on account of the mist, had a curious sentient, personal look, demanding the masculine pronoun for its adequate expression. His present aspect, coupled with the lack of all human forms in the scene, explained the old-time heliolatries in a moment. One could feel that a saner religion had never prevailed under the sky. The luminary was a golden-haired, beaming, mild-eyed, God-like creature, gazing down in the vigour and intentness of youth upon an earth that was brimming with interest for...
Page xv - The Novel is a picture of real life and manners, and of the times in which it is written. The Romance in lofty and elevated language, describes what never happened nor is likely to happen. — The Novel gives a familiar relation of such things, as pass every day before our eyes...