Hermsprong or Man as He is Not

First published in 1796, this novel introduces Hermsprong, a young man raised among Native Americans who arrives in an English country neighbourhood ruled by the arrogant Lord Grondale. He speaks with blunt independence, befriends the local physician and a circle of reformers, and is drawn to Grondale's daughter Caroline, whose father intends a fashionable marriage for her. The plot sets natural manners against aristocratic pride, legal bullying, and fashionable hypocrisy. A concealed parentage and a contest over Caroline's future drive the action. The book is a radical comedy of manners from the 1790s, not a wilderness adventure.

Quarter-bound in black buckram with marbled paper covers. Aqua or grey slipcase.