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Mrs. Humphrey Ward (Mary Augusta Ward, nee Arnold) was born in Hobart, Tasmania and was the niece of Matthew Arnold. With the publication of her immensely popular novel, "Robert Elsmere", Mrs. Humphrey Ward shocked Victorian society. That a woman would write a novel addressing theological issues was bad enough, but that she would dare to be critical of church, theology and faith was outrageous! There was a general crisis of faith stirring within the Anglican Church at that time, and this restlessness and indeterminacy of spirit is what Ward addressed. Ward envisioned a Christianity freed from miraculous elements - a Christianity that was down-to-earth and vigorous. She posited in her various novels, a church that fulfilled a social gospel of pious good works. Her characters, sympathetically drawn, reflected the situation of people around her - many of whom were intellectually the leading lights of her day. In "The History of David Grieve", Ward continued to probe the crisis of faith, dealing seriously with the issues, and creating, again, sympathetic characters. This is not your typical Victorian emotional pot-boiler, but a serious novel, written by a serious mind. Now all but forgotten, "The History of David Grieve" repays in good value a visit to its pages. Aside from the societal issues and the crisis of faith which the novel addresses, it presents a fully-rounded picture of Victorian middle-class life. Mary Augusta Arnold was kin to some of the leading minds of her time, including her own father and her uncle, Matthew Arnold, as well as Thomas Huxley and Leonard Huxley. ************************************* TITLE : The History of David Grieve / AUTHOR : Mrs. Humphry Ward (Mary Augusta Ward - nee Arnold , 1851 - 1920) / DATE : 1892 / PLACE : New York / IMPRINT : Macmillan and Co. / EDITION : First American Edition / PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Trade hardcover; 576 pages plus 8 pages of publisher's list; approximately 5" x 7 1/2" (12mo); decorated quarter-bound gray on blue cloth gilt title, and embellishments stamped on front and spine.The spine is gray and the boards are dark blue -- board along the joint is decorated with a repeating motif of the publisher's device : an open book within a wreath *************************** CONDITION -VERY GOOD - A clean and presentable copy with the following imperfections noted: BOARDS : Mild surface rub -- mild weathering and scattered light, vague spotting just discernible, front and rear (nothing egregious) - mild edge wear , with a few small dents and spots of abrasion (nothing egregious) lettering still bright - there is a just-perceptible slight curvature of boards. / SPINE : Compression and abrasion to extremities - lettering of publisher's imprint is somewhat effaced, but still quite discernible - surface a bit rubbed, but title bright. / HINGES / BINDING : The book has obviously been read and the text block in general sits a bit loosely, although no leaves are loose or detached - pages open widely - the entire affair has a discernible cant towards the rear board. / PAGE EDGES : Toned with a bit of near-negligible spotting, else clean. / END PAPERS : Slight splitting to paper over front hinge -- a small, mended surface tear is discernible on the front paste-down - rear paste-down has a couple of abrasions - small corner tip creases --a bit of vague, light spotting - else basically clean and unmarked. / INTERIOR : Signs of use throughout, as expected, but basically clean and presentable. / DUST JACKET : None present (Likely none issued) A DESIREABLE SPECIMEN OF THE FIRST U. S. EDITION. Seller Inventory # 428
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