Bessie Costrell

by Mrs. Humphry Ward

This book has been considered important throughout the human history, and so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format for present and future generations. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable.

62 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1895

About the author

Mary Augusta Ward CBE (nee Arnold) was an English novelist who wrote under her married name as Mrs. Humphry Ward. Mary Augusta Arnold was born in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, into a prominent intellectual family of writers and educationalists. Mary was the daughter of Tom Arnold, a professor of literature, and Julia Sorrell. Her uncle was the poet Matthew Arnold and her grandfather Thomas Arnold, the famous headmaster of Rugby School. Her sister Julia married Leonard Huxley, the son of Thomas Huxley, and their sons were Julian and Aldous Huxley. The Arnolds and the Huxleys were an important influence on British intellectual life.Mary's father Tom Arnold was appointed inspector of schools in Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) and commenced his role on 15 January 1850. Tom Arnold was received into the Roman Catholic Church on 12 January 1856, which made him so unpopular in his job (and with his wife) that he resigned and left for England with his family in July 1856. Mary Arnold had her fifth birthday the month before they left, and had no further connection with Tasmania. Tom Arnold was ratified as chair of English literature at the contemplated Catholic university, Dublin, after some delay. Mary Augusta Ward died in London, England, and was interred at Aldbury in Hertfordshire, near her beloved country home Stocks.

Reviews

[A.J. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this as research for something I'm working on - I wanted to hear the voice of this part of England in the era this book was written in. Mary Augusta Ward lived in Aldbury, Hertfordshire and her 'Clinton Magna' is Aldbury in all but name.

The story is short and quite sensational: Bessie looks after John Bolderfield's box of money and gradually starts to pilfer from it, falling into bad ways like drinking gin at the Spotted Deer public house. Her husband refuses to forgive her and in order to avoid prison she throws herself into the well and dies.

It's a bleak little tale, with apparently only the hope of salvation to give us any comfort by the end of it. There's a review of the story in the New York Times of July 17th, 1895 which claims that "Mrs Ward has given to thousands of readers two hours of sustained and thrilling pleasure." Not sure I agree!

[Andrew McClarnon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick Kindle read, specifically because it uses my own village as the inspiration for its setting (Mary Ward's grave is in the churchyard.) I enjoyed it's recreation of an enclosed rural community, with an accent you certainly don't hear anymore. It's a moral tale, but not at all heavy in the telling.