St. Leon: A Tale of the Sixteenth Century (Classic Reprint) - Softcover

William Godwin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1330817427 ISBN 13: 9781330817421

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2019

Synopsis

Excerpt from St. Leon: A Tale of the Sixteenth Century

He could not forbear speaking of this in the evening to some of his friends, who resolved to satisfy themselves by looking upon the picture the next day. In order to have an opportunity of doing so, they went to the coffee house about the time that signor Gualdi was wont to come thither; and not meeting with him, one of them, who had often conversed with him, went to his lodgings to enquire after him, where he heard, that he had set out an hour be fore for Vienna. This affair made a great noise, and found a place in all the newspapers of that time.

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This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

About this title

Review

"St. Leon, Godwin's second major novel, is a radical experiment in fictional genres. Into a historical novel of vast range and violence Godwin melded elements of the domestic novel, the philosophical novel, and the scientific fantasy. More relentlessly than the earlier Caleb Williams, this novel tests Godwin's philosophical premises to destruction, showing the importance--and failure--of family affections and the disintegration of effective social responsibility. William Brewer's judicious annotations and informative introduction equip the reader to understand Godwin's re-evaluation of his earlier views; the appendices contain ample material illustrating the novel's influence on other writers, its relation to Godwin's other works, and the lively reactions of contemporary reviewers."--Victoria Myers

"William Brewer's edition of St. Leon is more than simply a new, well-edited version of the text. The introduction alone--which includes a precis of other important current critical work on St. Leon--makes this a must-have edition, rehearsing as it does the place of this unclassifiable novel in Godwin's development and in the period, the influences visible in the novel, including its political implications and sources, and the novel's reception and literary heirs. Many of these issues can be further pursued through the judiciously chosen excerpts in the appendices."--Lisa M. Steinman

"William Brewer's edition of St. Leon is more than simply a new, well-edited version of the text. The introduction alone--which includes a precis of other important current critical work on St. Leon--makes this a must-have edition, rehearsing as it does the place of this unclassifiable novel in Godwin's development and in the period, the influences visible in the novel, including its political implications and sources, and the novel's reception and literary heirs. Many of these issues can be further pursued through the judiciously chosen excerpts in the appendices." -- Lisa M. Steinman, Reed College

"St. Leon, Godwin's second major novel, is a radical experiment in fictional genres. Into a historical novel of vast range and violence Godwin melded elements of the domestic novel, the philosophical novel, and the scientific fantasy. More relentlessly than the earlier Caleb Williams, this novel tests Godwin's philosophical premises to destruction, showing the importance--and failure--of family affections and the disintegration of effective social responsibility. William Brewer's judicious annotations and informative introduction equip the reader to understand Godwin's re-evaluation of his earlier views; the appendices contain ample material illustrating the novel's influence on other writers, its relation to Godwin's other works, and the lively reactions of contemporary reviewers." -- Victoria Myers, Pepperdine University

"William Brewer's edition of St. Leon is more than simply a new, well-edited version of the text. The introduction alone--which includes a precis of other important current critical work on St. Leon--makes this a must-have edition, rehearsing as it does the place of this unclassifiable novel in Godwin's development and in the period, the influences visible in the novel, including its political implications and sources, and the novel's reception and literary heirs. Many of these issues can be further pursued through the judiciously chosen excerpts in the appendices." -- Lisa M. Steinman, Reed College

"St. Leon, Godwin's second major novel, is a radical experiment in fictional genres. Into a historical novel of vast range and violence Godwin melded elements of the domestic novel, the philosophical novel, and the scientific fantasy. More relentlessly than the earlier Caleb Williams, this novel tests Godwin's philosophical premises to destruction, showing the importance--and failure--of family affections and the disintegration of effective social responsibility. William Brewer's judicious annotations and informative introduction equip the reader to understand Godwin's re-evaluation of his earlier views; the appendices contain ample material illustrating the novel's influence on other writers, its relation to Godwin's other works, and the lively reactions of contemporary reviewers." -- Victoria Myers, Pepperdine University

"William Brewer's edition of St. Leon is more than simply a new, well-edited version of the text. The introduction alone--which includes a precis of other important current critical work on St. Leon--makes this a must-have edition, rehearsing as it does the place of this unclassifiable novel in Godwin's development and in the period, the influences visible in the novel, including its political implications and sources, and the novel's reception and literary heirs. Many of these issues can be further pursued through the judiciously chosen excerpts in the appendices." -- Lisa M. Steinman, Reed College

From the Back Cover

Set in Europe during the Protestant Reformation and first published in 1799, St. Leon tells the story of an impoverished aristocrat who obtains the philosopher's stone and the elixir of immortality. In this philosophical fable, endless riches and immortal life prove to be curses rather than gifts and transform St. Leon into an outcast. William Godwin's second full-length novel explores the predicament of a would-be philanthropist whose attempts to benefit humanity are frustrated by superstition and ignorance.

This Broadview edition includes a critical introduction and full annotation. The appendices include contemporary reviews of the novel; Godwin's writings on immortality, the domestic affections, and alchemy; and selections from works influenced by St. Leon, most notably Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2019
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1330817427
• ISBN 13: 9781330817421
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 494