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Timothy's Quest
Kate Douglas Wiggin, nee Smith (1856-1923) was an American children's author and educator. She was born in Philadelphia, and was of Welsh descent. She started the first free kindergarten in San Francisco in 1878 (the "Silver Street Free Kindergarten"). With her sister in the 1880s she also established a training school for kindergarten teachers. Her best known books are The Story of Pasty (1883), The Birds' Christmas Carol (1887), Polly Oliver's Problem (1893), A Cathedral Courtship (1893), The Village Watchtoer (1896), Marm Lisa (1897) and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1903).
116 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1890
About the author
Kate Douglas Wiggin
609 books163 followersKate Douglas Smith Wiggin
Kate Douglas Wiggin, nee Smith (1856-1923) was an American children's author and educator. She was born in Philadelphia, and was of Welsh descent. She started the first free kindergarten in San Francisco in 1878 (the "Silver Street Free Kindergarten"). With her sister in the 1880s she also established a training school for kindergarten teachers. Her best known books are The Story of Pasty (1883), The Birds' Christmas Carol (1886), Polly Oliver's Problem (1893), A Cathedral Courtship (1893), The Village Watchtoer (1896), Marm Lisa (1897) and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1903).
Kate Douglas Wiggin, nee Smith (1856-1923) was an American children's author and educator. She was born in Philadelphia, and was of Welsh descent. She started the first free kindergarten in San Francisco in 1878 (the "Silver Street Free Kindergarten"). With her sister in the 1880s she also established a training school for kindergarten teachers. Her best known books are The Story of Pasty (1883), The Birds' Christmas Carol (1886), Polly Oliver's Problem (1893), A Cathedral Courtship (1893), The Village Watchtoer (1896), Marm Lisa (1897) and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1903).
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 18, 2018
Sweet, sentimental, with some nice descriptions and a spicy gossip session.
"a most unique nose: I hardly know to what order of architecture it belonged--perhaps Old Colonial would describe it" (Location 333)
"Suddenly (a word that could seldom be truthfully applied to the description of Jabe Slocum's movements)" (Location 376)
"('Not a very polite reason,' thought Rags; 'but anything to go!')" (Location 318)
"That was a joke; her life was full of them, served fresh every day" (Location 451)
"whose view of God's universe was about as broad as if he had lived on the inside of his own pork-barrel" (Location 620)
"'And don't begin at the book o'Genesis 'n' go clean through the Bible 's you gen'ally do. Start right in on Revelations, where you belong.'" ("If you've got something to say, let's have it!" at Location 751)
"'There ain't no reason why the devil should own all the han'some faces 'n' tunesome laughs.'" (Location 839)
"every day Rags grew more corpulent and aldermanic in his figure." (Location 1035--when was the last time you read such a description of a dog?!)
"Yet, though the days of chivalry were over, that was precisely what Timothy Jessup had done." (Location 1366)
"'...the Missionary Society can look somewhere else for money. There's plenty o'folks that don't get good works set right down in their front yards for'em to do.'" (Location 1432)
Thanks for reading!
"a most unique nose: I hardly know to what order of architecture it belonged--perhaps Old Colonial would describe it" (Location 333)
"Suddenly (a word that could seldom be truthfully applied to the description of Jabe Slocum's movements)" (Location 376)
"('Not a very polite reason,' thought Rags; 'but anything to go!')" (Location 318)
"That was a joke; her life was full of them, served fresh every day" (Location 451)
"whose view of God's universe was about as broad as if he had lived on the inside of his own pork-barrel" (Location 620)
"'And don't begin at the book o'Genesis 'n' go clean through the Bible 's you gen'ally do. Start right in on Revelations, where you belong.'" ("If you've got something to say, let's have it!" at Location 751)
"'There ain't no reason why the devil should own all the han'some faces 'n' tunesome laughs.'" (Location 839)
"every day Rags grew more corpulent and aldermanic in his figure." (Location 1035--when was the last time you read such a description of a dog?!)
"Yet, though the days of chivalry were over, that was precisely what Timothy Jessup had done." (Location 1366)
"'...the Missionary Society can look somewhere else for money. There's plenty o'folks that don't get good works set right down in their front yards for'em to do.'" (Location 1432)
Thanks for reading!
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May 15, 2016I've kept this book on my to-read shelf for several months, having retrieved it earlier from a box of truly "old" books which I began collecting years ago. I have no recollection now how I even came by the book. When I finally got serious about reading it, I did a little research on the author, Kate Douglas Wiggin.
Kate Douglas Wiggin (1856–1923) was an American educator and author of some 25 children's stories between 1883-1923, most notably the classic children's novel "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm". She started the first free kindergarten in San Francisco, the Silver Street Free Kindergarten, in 1878. With her sister, Nora Archibald Smith, during the 1880s, she also established a training school for kindergarten teachers. Kate Wiggin devoted her adult life to the welfare of children in an era when children were commonly thought of as cheap labour. Interestingly, she never became a mother herself.
"Timothy's Quest" was written in 1890, the copyright date in the book which I have. It's an exquisite story about two orphans, Timothy Jessup, a wise & sensitive 11 year old; a beautiful & fiery toddler, Gabriella who's called Lady Gay...both of whom have been handed down as orphans; & a faithful dog named "Rags". The three are inseparable & Timothy is Gay's & Rags' unflinchable guardian. Forces of circumstance bring them to White Farm where they're reluctantly, & quite temporarily, taken in by two older women, both dealing with anguishing issues from their past. A number of other colorful figures appear also. The story which Kate Wiggin weaves is deeply moving & conveys both the breathtaking beauty of children, as well as their power to transform hearts open to that beauty. To cite just one passage which had me in tears: "...Samantha hardly knew why the tears should spring to her eyes as she watched the dinner party [Lady Gay is having a party with her dollies & Rags],--unless it was because we can scarcely look at little children in their unconscious play without a sort of sadness, partly of pity and partly of envy, and of longing too, as for something lost and gone..." I have to confess that picturing my own 2 1/2 year old curly-headed granddaughter, Ginger, as I read about Lady Gay made the scene, & the book, much more poignant!
Kate Douglas Wiggin (1856–1923) was an American educator and author of some 25 children's stories between 1883-1923, most notably the classic children's novel "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm". She started the first free kindergarten in San Francisco, the Silver Street Free Kindergarten, in 1878. With her sister, Nora Archibald Smith, during the 1880s, she also established a training school for kindergarten teachers. Kate Wiggin devoted her adult life to the welfare of children in an era when children were commonly thought of as cheap labour. Interestingly, she never became a mother herself.
"Timothy's Quest" was written in 1890, the copyright date in the book which I have. It's an exquisite story about two orphans, Timothy Jessup, a wise & sensitive 11 year old; a beautiful & fiery toddler, Gabriella who's called Lady Gay...both of whom have been handed down as orphans; & a faithful dog named "Rags". The three are inseparable & Timothy is Gay's & Rags' unflinchable guardian. Forces of circumstance bring them to White Farm where they're reluctantly, & quite temporarily, taken in by two older women, both dealing with anguishing issues from their past. A number of other colorful figures appear also. The story which Kate Wiggin weaves is deeply moving & conveys both the breathtaking beauty of children, as well as their power to transform hearts open to that beauty. To cite just one passage which had me in tears: "...Samantha hardly knew why the tears should spring to her eyes as she watched the dinner party [Lady Gay is having a party with her dollies & Rags],--unless it was because we can scarcely look at little children in their unconscious play without a sort of sadness, partly of pity and partly of envy, and of longing too, as for something lost and gone..." I have to confess that picturing my own 2 1/2 year old curly-headed granddaughter, Ginger, as I read about Lady Gay made the scene, & the book, much more poignant!
December 22, 2016
This is one of the very first old books I began collecting. This charming story of Timothy Jessup, aged about ten, setting out to rescue two-year-old Lady Gay from the orphanage after the death of their foster-mother is one of the sweetest I've ever read. Accompanied by faithful Rags, the dog, they set out on the road to find a home worth staying in. It's liberally sprinkled with tiny pen and ink illustrations that add perfectly to the story.
Recommended for everyone.
Recommended for everyone.
October 19, 2019
This felt very similar to some of Montgomery's short stories. One thing that really annoys me about Wiggin's fiction is her use of dialectical spelling (I can't think if that's the exactly correct phrase), but it's very distracting and there are whole passages that I found quite difficult to read and understand because they're written the way they would be heard.
December 12, 2017
A delightful book which is moving and funny and insightful about children as well as about the motivations of adults.
April 23, 2023
Timothy’s Quest, a short Victorian children’s book I found at an estate sale, is a pleasant and enjoyable read. The characters were lovable and the writing style exemplary. This sweet, charming story would make an excellent introduction to classic children’s literature.
History and Reception: Timothy’s Quest was published in 1890 by Kate Douglas Wiggin, who not only wrote books for children, but also fought for their welfare in areas of education and child labor. She had already achieved some literary success with her two first children’s books, The Story of Patsy and The Birds’ Christmas Carol, which were privately printed in 1883 and 1887 respectively and published commercially in 1889. Her most popular book, though, was Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, published 13 years after Timothy’s Quest. She wrote many other stories.
Timothy’s Quest was also made into a silent film in 1922 and again in 1936. The 1922 movie, which is quite good, can be found on Youtube. An advertisement for it said, “Kate Douglas Wiggin, the beloved author, will weep for joy when she sees her famous story as a motion picture. Her characters have lived between the covers of a book. The characters now have walked out of the book and become living beings. Here is a story of the heart, in our opinion, bigger, sweeter, finer than ‘Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm’. Nobody makes a better picture than ‘Timothy’s Quest’ because it can’t be done.”
Synopsis: The owner of a children’s boardinghouse in shabby Minerva Court is dead–what will become of her boarders? Fearful that they will be sent to a Home, Timothy Jessup runs away from Minerva Court, taking with him Gabrielle or “Lady Gay”, a cheerful baby, and their faithful dog Rags. Timothy is confident he will find an adoptive mother for Gay in the pleasant countryside. He chooses a farm to visit randomly and meets spinster Miss Avilda and her housekeeper, Samantha. Though they do not wish to adopt either, they agree to harbor the children until they can find a better place to live.
Characters: The characters in this book were charming and likable. Chivalrous, kind Timothy was probably my favorite, followed by Jabe Slocum, who was much too relatable.
Setting: The setting was where this book really excelled. The White Farm and its surrounding countryside were so beautiful, especially when contrasted with Minerva Court. This overlaps with the style section below, as Mrs. Wiggin’s style is at its best when describing setting.
Style: This book had a lovely, old-fashioned, vibrant writing style. It was witty and humorous at times, and the descriptions of scenery and characters were excellent. This book reminded me of authors L. M. Montgomery, Alice Hegan Rice, and A. D. T. Whitney.
Theme: Timothy’s Quest has themes of charity, love for children, and doing the good deeds God gives one the opportunity to do.
Quote:
“There was a sweet summer shower in the night. The soft breezes, fresh from shaded dells and nooks of fern, fragrant with the odor of pine and vine and wet wood-violets, blew over the thirsty meadows and golden stubble-fields, and brought an hour of gentle rain.
It sounded a merry tintinnabulation on Samantha’s milk-pans, wafted the scent of dripping honeysuckle into the farmhouse windows, and drenched the night-caps in which prudent farmers had dressed their haycocks.
Next morning, the green world stood on tiptoe to welcome the victorious sun, and every little leaf shone as a child’s eyes might shine at the remembrance of a joy just past.”
History and Reception: Timothy’s Quest was published in 1890 by Kate Douglas Wiggin, who not only wrote books for children, but also fought for their welfare in areas of education and child labor. She had already achieved some literary success with her two first children’s books, The Story of Patsy and The Birds’ Christmas Carol, which were privately printed in 1883 and 1887 respectively and published commercially in 1889. Her most popular book, though, was Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, published 13 years after Timothy’s Quest. She wrote many other stories.
Timothy’s Quest was also made into a silent film in 1922 and again in 1936. The 1922 movie, which is quite good, can be found on Youtube. An advertisement for it said, “Kate Douglas Wiggin, the beloved author, will weep for joy when she sees her famous story as a motion picture. Her characters have lived between the covers of a book. The characters now have walked out of the book and become living beings. Here is a story of the heart, in our opinion, bigger, sweeter, finer than ‘Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm’. Nobody makes a better picture than ‘Timothy’s Quest’ because it can’t be done.”
Synopsis: The owner of a children’s boardinghouse in shabby Minerva Court is dead–what will become of her boarders? Fearful that they will be sent to a Home, Timothy Jessup runs away from Minerva Court, taking with him Gabrielle or “Lady Gay”, a cheerful baby, and their faithful dog Rags. Timothy is confident he will find an adoptive mother for Gay in the pleasant countryside. He chooses a farm to visit randomly and meets spinster Miss Avilda and her housekeeper, Samantha. Though they do not wish to adopt either, they agree to harbor the children until they can find a better place to live.
Characters: The characters in this book were charming and likable. Chivalrous, kind Timothy was probably my favorite, followed by Jabe Slocum, who was much too relatable.
Setting: The setting was where this book really excelled. The White Farm and its surrounding countryside were so beautiful, especially when contrasted with Minerva Court. This overlaps with the style section below, as Mrs. Wiggin’s style is at its best when describing setting.
Style: This book had a lovely, old-fashioned, vibrant writing style. It was witty and humorous at times, and the descriptions of scenery and characters were excellent. This book reminded me of authors L. M. Montgomery, Alice Hegan Rice, and A. D. T. Whitney.
Theme: Timothy’s Quest has themes of charity, love for children, and doing the good deeds God gives one the opportunity to do.
Quote:
“There was a sweet summer shower in the night. The soft breezes, fresh from shaded dells and nooks of fern, fragrant with the odor of pine and vine and wet wood-violets, blew over the thirsty meadows and golden stubble-fields, and brought an hour of gentle rain.
It sounded a merry tintinnabulation on Samantha’s milk-pans, wafted the scent of dripping honeysuckle into the farmhouse windows, and drenched the night-caps in which prudent farmers had dressed their haycocks.
Next morning, the green world stood on tiptoe to welcome the victorious sun, and every little leaf shone as a child’s eyes might shine at the remembrance of a joy just past.”
November 28, 2018
What an incredibly sweet story, but not saccharine or gooey. It makes you feel good; it inspires you with the idea that even though this is a hundred-year-old story and even though times have changed, human nature hasn't, and people can still change from hard-hearted to kind like happens in this book.
Highly recommended, especially if you need a pick-me-up book.
Highly recommended, especially if you need a pick-me-up book.
February 22, 2021
Charming story written in the l890’s about an orphan boy and a toddler who run away from a foster home after their caregiver dies. A book about the hope of finding love from strangers, contrasting the simplicity of what a child looks for with the complexity that adults create.
Want to Read
September 13, 2022This book was adapted to the screen in 1936 starring Dickie Moore and Virginia Weidler.
Read this book online for free through Project Gutenberg: https://gutenberg.org/files/18531/185...
Read this book online for free through Project Gutenberg: https://gutenberg.org/files/18531/185...
August 29, 2021
Because all a spinster needs to find fulfilment in life is a baby, or at least a child.
Yeah, right.
Very much of its time, though better written than some of Wiggin's output.
Yeah, right.
Very much of its time, though better written than some of Wiggin's output.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews