Le 28 novembre 1835, à six heures un quart, M. Thorpe, de Thorpe-Combe, Herefordshire, se tenait assis devant un grand feu de bois. Il avait à portée de la main les fagots d'environ trois arbres, empilés les uns sur les autres, et à côté de lui une petite table ronde, sur laquelle il y avait une tasse à café et deux flambeaux. Tout à coup il tira avec une extrême violence le cordon de sonnette qui pendait le long de la cheminée. Il attendit à peu près les trois quarts d'une minute, les yeux fixés sur la porte, sans tâcher le cordon ; puis, voyant que personne ne venait, il tira de nouveau le gland de soie avec une énergie qui n'était pas exempte d'impatience.Fruit d'une sélection réalisée au sein des fonds de la Bibliothèque nationale de France, Collection XIX a pour ambition de faire découvrir des textes classiques et moins classiques dans les meilleures éditions du XIXe siècle.

In the bustling streets of New York City, the Barnaby family embarks on an extraordinary adventure. Led by the eccentric Mr. Barnaby, his sharp-tongued wife, and their four lively children, they navigate the unfamiliar customs and social landscapes of a rapidly changing America. As they encounter a cast of colorful characters, from ambitious politicians to flamboyant socialites, the Barnabys' observations and misadventures provide a witty and incisive commentary on the burgeoning nation. Their journey unfolds through a series of hilarious and poignant encounters, revealing the complexities of a society on the cusp of greatness.

A villainous vicar insinuates himself into the life of a wealthy but foolish widow, ruining the fortunes and happiness of her three children, until they begin to fight back. Published in 1837 by the mother of the better-known Anthony Trollope, this highly readable romance portrays the evangelical movement of the Anglican church in a shocking light that may remind readers of some of the religious abuses of the present day.

Next to de Alexis de Tocquville's almost contemporary Democracy in America, Frances Trollope's work may be the most famous dissection of manners and morals of the United States. The work was a sensation on both sides of the Atlantic, and particularly in America, where Trollope was reviled as representing the worst of old world prejudices the new republic . Accompanied by a son and two daughters, Trollope lived in the United States from 1827 to 1831, spending most of her time in Cincinnati, where she had hoped, when joined by her husband, to open a large department store, which was also to be a place of entertainment and culture. She was, unfortunately, almost entirely ignorant of business practices, and habitually short of money, which her husband was in no position to make up. After leaving Cincinnati she traveled briefly in the eastern states, before returning to England. There is something of a happy ending; Domestic Manners was her first book, and such a success that she turned to writing, producing in her lifetime over a hundred books, which, though they never made her very rich, were more than sufficient to keep the wolf from the door. She passed on her highly disciplined writing habits to her son Anthony , who produced forty-seven novels as well as several other works. His views of the United States, thanks in part to its attractive young women, were, of course, more benign; indeed in The Duke's Children, the lovely New Yorker Isabel Boncassen is to become the Duchess of Omnium. It's worth remembering that Frances Trollope's introduction to America was made through what was still something of frontier territory in Ohio, and few historians would argue that refinement and high culture were outstanding features of the Jacksonian era, which she saw first hand. Though some at the time feared that Domestic Manners would lead to a new Anglo-American war, fortunately the critical disputes took place on paper. Eventually passions cooled, and some Americans even came to admit that some of her judgements were just. Mark Twain, for instance, while chiding Trollope for falling for American tall tales , also remarked that the reason Domestic Manners was so hated by patriotic Americans was because it was so true.In any case, it is offered by the reader as a contribution to the American political campaign of 2012.Introduction by Nicholas Clifford)

The industrial revolution led to the rise of manufacture and, thus, the cotton mill factories. This important novel tells about the plight of Michael Armstrong, one of the boys who is forced to work there. The aim of the novel was to expose the public to the conditions of thousands of "infant labourers" around the northern mill towns. The novel drew much criticism, of course. Yet, nonetheless, it is a forgotten masterpiece, perfect for fans of Oliver Twist and North and South. It is a brave novel, full of truth and honesty, yet probably not for the faint of heart. - Summary by Stav Nisser.

The vain, flirtatious and presumptuous husband hunting Mrs. Barnaby delves into high-class society of which she knows very little leading to some rather awkward and moments and ridiculous mistakes. Add the love and distresses of her lovely and demure niece Agnes, Mrs. Trollope's sharp wit, and you have the perfect recipe for a lighthearted Victorian romance. (Celine Major)

"I scruple not to confess that with all her faults, and she has some, I love her dearly : I owe her many mirthful moments, and the deeper pleasure still of believing that she has brought mirthful moments to others also. Honestly avowing this to be the case, can any one wonder, can any one blame me, for feeling an affectionate longing at my heart to follow her upon the expedition upon which I sent her when last we parted'? I will forthwith proceed to tell them all that has happened to this dear excellent lady since General Hubert and Mr. Stephenson left her in her grand drawing-room in Curzon-street, surrounded by her family and friends. - Summary by Frances Milton Trollope"