
BOOK 3. - XX. STUDIES IN FOG, GOUT, AN OLD SEAMAN, A LOVELY SERPENT, AND THE MORAL EFFECTS THAT MAY COME OF A BORROWED SHIRT XXI. IN WHICH WE HAVE FURTHER GLIMPSES OF THE WONDROUS MECHANISM OF OUR YOUNGER MAN XXII. A RIGHT-MINDED GREAT LADY XXIII. IN DAME GOSSIP'S VEIN XXIV. A KIDNAPPING AND NO GREAT HARM XXV. THE PHILOSOPHER MAN OF ACTION XXVI. AFTER SOME FENCING THE DAME PASSES OUR GUARD XXVII. WE DESCEND INTO A STEAMER'S ENGINE-ROOM XXVIII. BY CONCESSIONS TO MISTRESS GOSSIP A FURTHER INTRUSION IS AVERTED - CHAPTER XX - STUDIES IN FOG, GOUT, AN OLD SEAMAN, A LOVELY SERPENT, AND THE MORAL EFFECTS THAT MAY COME OF A BORROWED SHIRT
CHAPTER XXI - IN WHICH WE HAVE FURTHER GLIMPSES OF THE WONDROUS MECHANISM OF OUR YOUNGER MAN
CHAPTER XXII - A RIGHT-MINDED GREAT LADY
CHAPTER XXIII - IN DAME GOSSIP'S VEIN
CHAPTER XXIV - A KIDNAPPING AND NO GREAT HARM
CHAPTER XXV - THE PHILOSOPHER MAN OF ACTION
CHAPTER XXVI - AFTER SOME FENCING THE DAME PASSES OUR GUARD
'HENRIETTA KIRBY-LEVELLIER.'
CHAPTER XXVII - WE DESCEND INTO A STEAMER'S ENGINE-ROOM
CHAPTER XXVIII - BY CONCESSIONS TO MISTRESS GOSSIP A FURTHER INTRUSION IS AVERTED
A restless young traveler named Gower sets off with his father’s modest fortune, navigating a landscape shrouded in ever‑changing fog that mirrors his own uncertainties. Along the way he encounters an assortment of vivid figures—a weary old seaman, a strikingly beautiful serpent, and a nervous butler who guards the secrets of Admiral Fakenham’s household. Through witty dialogue and keen observation, Gower becomes entangled in the peculiar customs of a society where even a borrowed shirt can provoke moral reflection.
The narrative soon pivots to a fraught domestic scene: Mrs. Carthew, alarmed by news of a young countess abandoned after a prize‑fight, confides in Gower while the admiral, plagued by gout, wrestles with his own pride and concern. Their conversation weaves together humor, philosophy, and the stark realities of London’s poorer districts, hinting at deeper questions of duty, compassion, and the tangled web of social expectations that await Gower’s next steps.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (159K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2003-09-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1828–1909
A sharp, witty Victorian voice, this English novelist and poet is best known for brilliant dialogue, psychological insight, and a style that rewards close reading. His work helped push the English novel toward greater complexity, with books like The Egoist and poems such as Modern Love still drawing attention today.
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by George Meredith

by George Meredith

by George Meredith

by George Meredith

by George Meredith

by George Meredith

by George Meredith

by George Meredith