The first edition of this book is dated 1896. The edition used is dated 1896. The publisher was National Society’s Depository, London. The number of pages is 262.

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General information

The date is around 1822 in a remote country area of England. The Carbonel family come to live in a farmhouse there, and immediately see ways in which the life of the people of the two local villages might be improved, starting with removing a very insanitary muck-heap from immediately outside the house, to a more suitable place in a field. But whatever they seek to do is opposed by the ignorant villagers, coming to a head when they introduce a threshing machine as a labour saving device. These ignorant villagers had even opposed education beyond the most basic on the grounds that none of the children will ever be doing more than working in the fields, for which they will need no education at all.

It seems likely that this was very much the norm in remote country life in the England of 1822, and it is beautifully depicted by Charlotte Yonge, along with the delightful story about the Carbonel family. Well worth reading.

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Contents

Chapter I.
French Measure.

Chapter II.
The Lie of the Land.

Chapter III.
The Turnip Field.

Chapter IV.
Nobody’s Business.

Chapter V.
At Home.

Chapter VI.
The Neighbourhood.

Chapter VII.
Sunday School.

Chapter VIII.
Mary’s Approach.

Chapter IX.
The Screen.

Chapter X.
Innovations.

Chapter XI.
An Unprofitable Crop.

Chapter XII.
Prizes.

Chapter XIII.
Against the Grain.

Chapter XIV.
An Offer Rejected.

Chapter XV.
Scales of Justice.

Chapter XVI.
Linch-Pins.

Chapter XVII.
Progress or no Progress.

Chapter XVIII.
The Threshing-Machine.

Chapter XIX.
A Night Journey.

Chapter XX.
The Royal Hotel.

Chapter XXI.
Jack Swing.

Chapter XXII.
Great Mary and Little Mary.

Chapter XXIII.
The Machine.

Chapter XXIV.
Misjudged.

Chapter XXV.
Judith.

Chapter XXVI.
The Golden Chains.

Chapter XXVII.
Missed and Mourned.

Chapter XXVIII.
Conclusion.

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