18th century literature

[KEV67]

I am sort of interested in it. So far I have read Robinson Crusoe, The Monk, The History of Tom Jones (a Foundling), The Expedition of Humphry Clinker, and I think Gulliver's Travels. I definitely read part of it, but I am not sure I read it all. 18th century British literature is quite strange. The Monk by Matthew Lewis is X rated. Humphry Clinker is like a travelogue through 18th Century Britain written by your grandfather's most bigoted friend, but still good. Tom Jones, OTOH, is one of the best books I have ever read. I have Pamela by Samuel Richardson to read in 2022. It makes War and Peace look slim. I also fancy reading Fanny Hill, The Mysteries of Udolpho, and The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy.

Edited October 31, 2021 by KEV67

[lunababymoonchild]

I'm interested in reading everything so don't take note of what century it's written in - except for the Victober challenge. I think I read Fanny Hill a very long time ago,  so much so that I'm not sure, and found that it wasn't as disgusting as I'd hoped (probably going through my 'I dare my mother to ban me from reading these things' phase (she didn't)). Not read anything else you mention but a quick online search shows me that I would read 18th century in a heartbeat and  intend to do so. I have read The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole and I have The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg on my shelf, also on my shelf Dangerous Liaisons By Pierre Choderlos De Laclos. And, naturally (being Scottish) have read Robert Burns.  There is also Sir Walter Scott (on my shelf), Honoré de Balzac (not on my shelf). I've read some of Keats and I got nearly all the way to the end of 120 Days of Sodom by the Marquis de Sade.

 

An interesting era which needs to be looked at more closely, methinks

[Hayley]

8 hours ago, lunababymoonchild said:

The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole

I was going to recommend that after reading the first post! Such a weird story, but a good one. 

[KEV67]

10 hours ago, lunababymoonchild said:

I'm interested in reading everything so don't take note of what century it's written in - except for the Victober challenge. I think I read Fanny Hill a very long time ago,  so much so that I'm not sure, and found that it wasn't as disgusting as I'd hoped (probably going through my 'I dare my mother to ban me from reading these things' phase (she didn't)). Not read anything else you mention but a quick online search shows me that I would read 18th century in a heartbeat and  intend to do so. I have read The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole and I have The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg on my shelf, also on my shelf Dangerous Liaisons By Pierre Choderlos De Laclos. And, naturally (being Scottish) have read Robert Burns.  There is also Sir Walter Scott (on my shelf), Honoré de Balzac (not on my shelf). I've read some of Keats and I got nearly all the way to the end of 120 Days of Sodom by the Marquis de Sade.

 

An interesting era which needs to be looked at more closely, methinks

I expect 120 Days of Sodom was as disgusting as you could hope. I watched the film by Pier Paulo Pasolini. It was extremely unpleasant. I watched an art-house adaption of Judith recently, which was rather unpleasant too. I am not tempted to read any Marquis de Sade. Sir Walter Scott was Regency era. I read Waverley last year. I thought that was very good, much better than I expected.

[lunababymoonchild]

1 hour ago, KEV67 said:

I expect 120 Days of Sodom was as disgusting as you could hope. I watched the film by Pier Paulo Pasolini. It was extremely unpleasant. I watched an art-house adaption of Judith recently, which was rather unpleasant too. I am not tempted to read any Marquis de Sade. Sir Walter Scott was Regency era. I read Waverley last year. I thought that was very good, much better than I expected.

 

120 Days of Sodom : It was.  When I got to the violence I stopped reading. It was very well written though and now I know. I won't read any more. Everything else is up for consideration.

[willoyd]

A few more to consider (which I have enjoyed!)

 

Candide - Voltaire

Les Liaisons Dangereuses - Choderlos de Laclos

Moll Flanders - Defoe

A Journal of the Plague Year - Defoe

Evelina - Fanny Burney

The Vicar of Wakefield - Goldsmith

and other books by same authors

[KEV67]

Maybe I meant Moll Flanders instead of Fanny Hill. Fanny Burney was a forerunner of Jane Austen, wasn't she? 18th century literature can be a bit weird.

Edited November 10, 2021 by KEV67

[France]

On 10/31/2021 at 7:23 PM, Hayley said:

I was going to recommend that after reading the first post! Such a weird story, but a good one. 

For seriously weird 18th century novels there's also Vathek by William Beckford.

 

4 hours ago, KEV67 said:

Maybe I meant Moll Flanders instead of Fanny Hill. Fanny Burney was a forerunner of Jane Austen, wasn't she? 18th century literature can be a bit weird.

Fanny Burney was a great favourite of Jane Austen's.

What about Clarissa by Samuel Richardson (the longest novel in the English language)? It's actually a terrific read, he also wrote Pamela about the virtuous servant girl whose employer is determined to seduce her which is a lot shorter and rather more saccharine.

 

[Hayley]

On 08/11/2021 at 6:40 PM, willoyd said:

A Journal of the Plague Year - Defoe

There is an absolutely beautiful folio society edition of this one! 
 

On 08/11/2021 at 6:40 PM, willoyd said:

Evelina - Fanny Burney

I would second this one too. I started it expecting that it would not be my kind of book, but I ended up really enjoying it. It’s a good one for getting a sense of what society was like at the time. 

[willoyd]

On 11/11/2021 at 9:44 PM, Hayley said:

There is an absolutely beautiful folio society edition of this one!

 

I have one of the earlier editions - lovely.

[KEV67]

I have started reading Clarissa by Samuel Richardson. It is huge. 1700+ pages. It is an epistolary novel, so it has letters instead of chapters. While I was reading the introduction to Tom Jones by Richard Fielding several years ago, that book was repeatedly compared to Clarissa, but so far (three letters) I have found them very different. I am not sure I am going to like this as much as Tom Jones, which I thought was a great book. The style is a little heavy. I was amused by the one of Clarissa's letter sign-offs. I read Humphrey Clinker years ago, which was like a fictionalised travelogue through 18th century Britain. That was my an epistolary novel too. The best (alright maybe the second best) thing about it were the witty letter sign-offs.

Edited March 31, 2022 by KEV67

[lunababymoonchild]

4 hours ago, KEV67 said:

I have started reading Clarissa by Samuel Richardson. It is huge. 1700+ pages. It is an epistolary novel, so it has letters instead of chapters. While I was reading the introduction to Tom Jones by Richard Fielding several years ago, that book was repeatedly compared to Clarissa, but so far (three letters) I have found them very different. I am not sure I am going to like this as much as Tom Jones, which I thought was a great book. The style is a little heavy. I was amused by the one of Clarissa's letter sign-offs. I read Humphrey Clinker years ago, which was like a fictionalised travelogue through 18th century Britain. That was my an epistolary novel too. The best (alright maybe the second best) thing about it were the witty letter sign-offs.

If you don't mind me asking, is this a paper book and where did you get it?

[KEV67]

1 hour ago, lunababymoonchild said:

If you don't mind me asking, is this a paper book and where did you get it?

Yes, it's paper. I know I had trouble finding it. I either ordered it from Amazon or I bought it from the massive Waterstones near Picadilly Circus. I think it was the Waterstones. 

[lunababymoonchild]

20 minutes ago, KEV67 said:

Yes, it's paper. I know I had trouble finding it. I either ordered it from Amazon or I bought it from the massive Waterstones near Picadilly Circus. I think it was the Waterstones. 

Thank you.

[KEV67]

Clarissa is having a hard time. I am on her side. I think her family are behaving very unreasonably. I am surprised how much she writes. Apparently, she not only writes long letters, but she makes copies of all those she sends.

 

I do not know how this book was originally published. I suspect the best way of reading it was to read a letter in every edition of a newspaper, like Bridget Jones' Diary. But a letter would have to be published every day, not every week or it would take ten years to finish.

Edited April 6, 2022 by KEV67

[KEV67]

Just as poor Mr Wyerley, and others we both know, profane and ridicule Scripture; and all to evidence their pretensions to the same pernicious talent, and to have it thought that they are too wise to be good.

 

Another quote I like from letter 161:

But indeed I have seen ladies, of whom I have a better opinion that I can say I have of Mrs Sinclair, who have allowed gentlemen and themselves too, in greater liberties of this sort, than I have thought consistent with that purity of manners which ought to be the distinguishing characteristic of our sex: for what are words, but the body and dress of thought? And is not the mind indicated strongly by its outward dress?

 

I am afraid Clarissa Harlowe is like that. She has very, very high standards. 

Edited May 13, 2022 by KEV67

[KEV67]

I am beginning to think there is something about 18th Century books. Samuel Richardson was an amazing writer. It is astonishing how he span this story out. So much intelligence! I am over half way through Clarissa. Lovelace is the very Devil. Still, I am not sure why Clarissa did not seek shelter from the church. I am sure a bishop would have done what he could, or his wife would.

[KEV67]

I finished Clarissa. It is an amazing book, like nothing else I have read. I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads. It is, nevertheless, verbose. The heroine is a little unbelievable, at least she would be for this day and age. I doubt a book like Clarissa would ever be published now. I am sure editors would demand it was edited down.

[lunababymoonchild]

3 hours ago, KEV67 said:

I finished Clarissa. It is an amazing book, like nothing else I have read. I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads. It is, nevertheless, verbose. The heroine is a little unbelievable, at least she would be for this day and age. I doubt a book like Clarissa would ever be published now. I am sure editors would demand it was edited down.

Is verbose not the prevailing style at that time in history? I finally found an e-book (for free!) that was complete and unabridged. I like long books and I'll get to this eventually.

[KEV67]

1 hour ago, lunababymoonchild said:

Is verbose not the prevailing style at that time in history? I finally found an e-book (for free!) that was complete and unabridged. I like long books and I'll get to this eventually.

Tom Jones was long, but the characters were not particularly given to long speeches. Robinson Crusoe and The Monk were normal length novels. I seem to remember Humphry Clinker was too. Humphry Clinker was another epistolary novel, so it is one person holding forth at a time. I do not remember it being verbose. Clarissa is a bit repetitive, and it takes a long time before anything happens and the scene shifts. Clarissa makes the same complaints time and again. Their letters are often long, particularly between Clarissa and her friend, Miss Howe.

[KEV67]

I was looking around Exeter Cathedral this afternoon, reading the memorial stones. I was reminded of Clarissa. They language was similar. They expressed themselves very well in the 18th Century. I cannot remember the exact expressions, but they were often applauded for their exemplary behaviour and high Christian standards. They often died young. For example, there was a young mother who died aged 19 rescuing her baby from a fire. There was another young woman who died in her mid 20s after suffering from a vague illness for five years. There were quite a few military and naval men, as well as a lot of churchmen.

[KEV67]

I got my hands on a Penguin clothbound edition of Laurence Sterne's Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy. He will have his work cut out to beat Tom Jones and Clarissa.