The Parson's Daughter of Oxney Colne

by Anthony Trollope

Capt. John Broughton hoped to be the heir of his wealthy aunt Miss Le Smyrger, and journeyed down to Devonshire to make friends with her. While there he met and fell in love with Patience Woolsworthy, the rector’s high-spirited but portionless daughter. Patience returned his love, but indignantly broke her engagement when he attempted to teach her that marriage to him would considerably raise her in the social scale. (Google)

Genres: Short Stories, Victorian

30 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 2, 1861

About the author

Anthony Trollope became one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of Trollope's best-loved works, known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire; he also wrote penetrating novels on political, social, and gender issues and conflicts of his day.

Trollope has always been a popular novelist. Noted fans have included Sir Alec Guinness (who never travelled without a Trollope novel), former British Prime Ministers Harold Macmillan and Sir John Major, economist John Kenneth Galbraith, American novelists Sue Grafton and Dominick Dunne and soap opera writer Harding Lemay. Trollope's literary reputation dipped somewhat during the last years of his life, but he regained the esteem of critics by the mid-twentieth century.
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_...

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Or, can a girl really change her mind?

Patience Woolsworthy has become one of my favorite Trollope heroine's based on her mental accuity and ability to switch course, irrespective of the effects on her marital prospects.

Captain John Broughton, a member of parliament and a scion of a wealthy family, woos and wins the hand of a parson's daughter in a scenic but remote area near Dartmoor. In the days after the girl has accepted his offer of marriage, he seems to have second thoughts; and it shows. Whereupon Miss Patience says no thank you and sends her erstwhile fiancé back to London with good wishes and please don't bother contacting me in the future.

Generally speaking, I am not a big fan of Trollope's short stories; but this one has a nice feel to it. Trollope was to explore a similar issue in The Small House at Allington with his heroine Lily Dale. In both stories, a young woman would rather not wed at all than to wed someone whom she determines doesn't really love her.

[Allan Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad - but I could not give it less than 5 stars just for being sad.

[Jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing is great as usual! The story was not my favorite. The only redeeming factor, IMO, was the conclusion. I am not a fan of female characters who lead men on, and I was happy they decided to part ways!😖

[Phil Syphe · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Parson's Daughter of Oxney Colne” is a short story set in Devonshire. Patience Woolsworthy is the parson’s daughter. Patience by name, but not so by nature, except for her caring nature regarding those who are worse off than herself.

The tale is essentially of a love story; however, it doesn’t have a predictable outcome.

Mr Trollope writes some impressive descriptive passages. At times, though, I feel the story would’ve worked better had he given the characters more dialogue to dramatize certain scenes, showing the reader what’s going on, rather than have the third person narrator telling who did and said what.

A worthwhile read.

[Kansas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es interesante no tanto en el sentido del argumento en si, sino por la personalidad de Patience Woolsworthy, una heroina decidida y con fuerte carácter, que dentro de las limitaciones y rigidez de la época en cuanto a la situación de la mujer, ella no se contenta con lo que la sociedad espera de ella, o sea, casarse. En ese sentido es una delicia.