Cambridge Library Collection - British and Irish History, 19th Century
2 primary works • 8 total works
Volume 1
Richard Jefferies (1848-87) remains one of the most thoughtful and most lyrical writers on the English countryside. He had aspirations to make a living as a novelist, but it was his short, factually based articles for The Live Stock Journal and other magazines, drawn from a wealth of knowledge of the rural community into which he had been born, which, when brought together in book form, brought him recognition (though not wealth), and which continued to be read and admired after his early death. This two-volume work, first published in 1880, contains a collection of essays first published in The Standard. Jefferies describes the daily life and circumstances of Victorian English farmers, labourers and their wives without sentimentality, illustrating daily hardships as well as idyllic pastimes, and providing an accurate and thus valuable description of a now vanished way of life.
Volume 2
Richard Jefferies (1848-87) remains one of the most thoughtful and most lyrical writers on the English countryside. He had aspirations to make a living as a novelist, but it was his short, factually based articles for The Live Stock Journal and other magazines, drawn from a wealth of knowledge of the rural community into which he had been born, which, when brought together in book form, brought him recognition (though not wealth), and which continued to be read and admired after his early death. This two-volume work, first published in 1880, contains a collection of essays first published in The Standard. Jefferies describes the daily life and circumstances of Victorian English farmers, labourers and their wives without sentimentality, illustrating daily hardships as well as idyllic pastimes, and providing an accurate and thus valuable description of a now vanished way of life.
"The following pages are arranged somewhat in the order of time, beginning with the first gun, and attempts at shooting. Then come the fields, the first hills, and woods explored, often without a gun, or any thought of destruction; and next the poachers, and other odd characters observed at their work. Perhaps the idea of shooting with a matchlock, or wheel-lock, might, if put into practice, at least afford some little novelty." That is the modest description of his classic book that Richard Jefferies made when it was first published. Since then the book has become established as a favourite of country lovers and shooters, one of the treasures of sporting literature. "There was the pheasant not fifteen yards away, his back somewhat towards me, and quietly questing about...My finger felt the trigger, and the least increase of pressure would have been fatal; but in the act I hesitated, dropped the barrel, and watched the beautiful bird."
Richard Jefferies (1848-87) remains one of the most thoughtful and most lyrical writers on the English countryside. He had aspirations to make a living as a novelist, but it was his short, factually based articles for The Live Stock Journal and other magazines, drawn from a wealth of knowledge of the rural community into which he had been born, which, when brought together in book form, brought him recognition (though not wealth) and which continued to be read and admired after his early death. This volume, first published posthumously in 1892, contains a collection of essays concerning rural farmers and labourers previously published before Jefferies had achieved public recognition. Jefferies vividly describes the daily life and circumstances of Victorian English farmers, labourers and their wives without sentimentality, illustrating hardships in addition to idyllic pastimes, providing a realistic and valuable description of a now vanished way of life.
Richard Jefferies (1848-1887) remains one of the most thoughtful and most lyrical writers on the English countryside. He had aspirations to make a living as a novelist, but it was his short, factually based articles for The Live Stock Journal and other magazines, drawn from a wealth of knowledge of the rural community into which he had been born, which when collected in book form brought him recognition (though not wealth), and which continued to be read and admired after his early death. The Hills and the Vale, first released in 1909, contains a collection of published and unpublished essays and articles. Written in Jefferies' highly descriptive style, these essays describe rural life and nature in England, illustrating folk traditions and important natural events in rural communities. The sense of wonder evoked by the natural world, which permeates all of Jefferies' works, is fully exemplified in this volume.
Richard Jefferies (1848-87) remains one of the most thoughtful and most lyrical writers on the English countryside. He had aspirations to make a living as a novelist, but it was his short factually based articles for The Live Stock Journal and other magazines, drawn from a wealth of knowledge of the rural community into which he had been born, which when brought together in book form brought him recognition (though not wealth) and which continued to be read and admired after his early death. The Gamekeeper at Home and The Amateur Poacher (also reissued in this series) were both collections of essays in the style of reminiscences of a rural way of life which, though never idyllic, was by the 1870s beginning to undergo a period of rapid change, through both the onset of mechanisation and agricultural depression.
Richard Jefferies (1848-1887) remains one of the most thoughtful and most lyrical writers on the English countryside. He had aspirations to make a living as a novelist, but it was his short, factually based articles for The Live Stock Journal and other magazines, drawn from a wealth of knowledge of the rural community into which he had been born, which, when brought together in book form, brought him recognition (though not wealth) and which continued to be read and admired after his early death. This volume, first published in 1884, contains a collection of essays and articles previously published during his career. Written in Jefferies' highly descriptive style, these essays describe rural life and nature in England, illustrating folk traditions and important natural events in rural communities. The mysticism and wonder of the natural world which exemplifies Jefferies' works is fully illustrated in these essays.
Richard Jefferies (1848-87) remains one of the most thoughtful and most lyrical writers on the English countryside. He had aspirations to make a living as a novelist, but it was his short, factually based articles for The Live Stock Journal and other magazines, drawn from a wealth of knowledge of the rural community into which he had been born, which, when brought together in book form, brought him recognition (though not wealth), and which continued to be read and admired after his early death. This two-volume work, first published in 1880, contains a collection of essays first published in The Standard. Jefferies describes the daily life and circumstances of Victorian English farmers, labourers and their wives without sentimentality, illustrating daily hardships as well as idyllic pastimes, and providing an accurate and thus valuable description of a now vanished way of life.