Margaret Oliphant (1828-1897) was a Victorian novelist, born either on April 3rd or 4th. (I found both dates.) She wrote and had published over 100 novels in her lifetime; she said that she was so prolific because she relied on her writing to support her extensive and extended family. SHe outlived her husband and all seven of her children. Her novels are about English country life, religion, and male/female relations. Oliphant was said to be Queen Victoria’s favorite novelist. I think I’ll add one of her books to my reading list, perhaps Miss Marjoribanks, “a comic narrative of domestic and clerical life.”
I like this quote: “Oh, never mind the fashion. When one has a style of one’s own, it is always twenty times better.” I don’t know which of her novels this one comes from, but I definitely agree with the sentiment.
One thought on “Margaret Oliphant”
Miss Marjoribanks is OK but I don’t think it’s her best. I think that Agnes is her best. It’s not comical but I think it includes so many of Oliphant’s conclusions about human nature
and life, especially life lived by people like she was, people who had hard lives but who lived their lives as nobly as possible.
I just finished it and I am still vibrating from it.
There are others I also prefer to Miss Marjoribanks which is still, however, a good book.
Miss Marjoribanks is OK but I don’t think it’s her best. I think that Agnes is her best. It’s not comical but I think it includes so many of Oliphant’s conclusions about human nature
and life, especially life lived by people like she was, people who had hard lives but who lived their lives as nobly as possible.
I just finished it and I am still vibrating from it.
There are others I also prefer to Miss Marjoribanks which is still, however, a good book.