Bracebridge Hall, or The Humorists, A Medley was written by Washington Irving in 1821, while he lived in England, and published in 1822. This episodic novel was originally published under his pseudonym Geoffrey Crayon.
As this is a location-based series of character sketches, there are a number of individual plots. The tales centre on the occupants of an English manor (based on Aston Hall, near Birmingham, England, which was occupied by members of the Bracebridge family and which Irving visited).
Plot summary
As this is a series of character sketches, the most effective way currently to describe this book is to list the contents.
Volume I
The Author
The Hall
The Busy Man
Family Servants
The Widow
The Lovers
Family Reliques
An Old Soldier
The Widow's Retinue
Ready Money Jack
Bachelors
Wives
Story Telling
The Stout Gentleman
Forest Trees
A Literary Antiquary
The Farm-House
Horsemanship
Love-Symptoms
Falconry
Hawking
St. Mark's Eve
Gentility
Fortune Telling
Love-Charms
The Library
The Student of Salamanca
Volume II
English Country Gentleman
A Bachelor's Confessions
English Gravity
Gipsies
May-Day Customs
Village Worthies
The Schoolmaster
The School
A Village Politician
The Rookery
May-Day
The Manuscript
Annette Delarbre
Travelling
Popular Superstitions
The Culprit
Family Misfortunes
Lovers' Troubles
The Historian
The Haunted House
Dolph Heyliger
The Storm-Ship
The Wedding
The Author's Farewell
Release details
All are hardcover editions except the 1823 and 1991 (binding unknown).
1822, USA, C.S. Van Winkle, 2 volumes (May 21, 1822) – published by M&S Thomas, Philadelphia[1]
1822, UK, John Murray (May 23, 1822)
1823, Berlin, German translation
1836, USA, Carey, Lea and Blanchard, 2 volumes
1865, USA, G.P. Putnam's Sons, complete in one volume, by Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.
1869, USA, G.P. Putnam and Son
1876 (dated 1877), London, Macmillan & Co., one volume edition, illustrated by Randolph Caldecott
1890, London, Edinburgh & New York, T. Nelson and Sons
1978, USA, Sleepy Hollow Restorations (October 1, 1978), ISBN0-912882-35-2
1991, USA, Library of America: Bracebridge Hall, Tales of a Traveller, The Alhambra (March 1, 1991), ISBN978-0-940450-59-2
References
↑ While American copies have the name C.S. Van Winkle on the title page, the original bindings bear the inscription "Published by M&S Thomas, Philadelphia" on the spine. See Works, 9:xxivn28.
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