This edition had all images removed.
LoC No.: 07033747
Title: Melincourt : or, Sir Oran Haut-Ton
Original Publication: London: Macmillan and Co., 1896.
Note: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melincourt_(novel)
Credits: Richard Tonsing, Tim Lindell, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)
Summary: "Melincourt: or, Sir Oran Haut-Ton" by Thomas Love Peacock is a satirical novel written in the early 19th century. The story appears to focus on the adventures and social situations surrounding the young heiress Anthelia Melincourt, as well as the philosophical and political commentaries delivered through an eccentric cast, including the enigmatic Sir Oran Haut-Ton—an orangutan presented as the “natural man.” The novel blends romantic intrigue and comedic elements with sharp criticism of social customs, politics, and contemporary intellectual debates, often caricaturing prominent public figures and issues such as political corruption and the abolition of slavery. Peacock’s work is known for its witty dialogue, biting irony, and its playful approach to the conventions of both the novel and society. The opening of the book, including its introduction and the first chapters, sets the stage by introducing Anthelia Melincourt—wealthy, orphaned, and independent—living secluded in a grand, half-ruined castle amid the wilds of Westmoreland. She is pursued by various fortune-hunting suitors, with comic attention given to the superficiality and scheming of fashionable society. Early scenes emphasize Anthelia’s romantic idealism, her education amidst nature, and her skeptical view of marriage based solely on status or wealth. The narrative then shifts to a cast of eccentric and often satirical characters: Sir Telegraph Paxarett, the worldly bachelor; Sylvan Forester, the philosophical reformer; the taciturn “natural man” Sir Oran Haut-Ton, and various others representing types of social and ideological affectation. Through lively dinner conversations and comedic social clashes—often centering on earnest, if quixotic, ideas about moral reform or the rights of man—Peacock begins to weave his critiques of society, politics, philosophy, and human nature, setting up a narrative driven as much by spirited debate as by plot. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Reading Level: Reading ease score: 64.1 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
Author: Peacock, Thomas Love, 1785-1866
Author of introduction, etc.: Saintsbury, George, 1845-1933
Illustrator: Townsend, F. H. (Frederick Henry), 1868-1920
EBook No.: 75943
Published: Apr 23, 2025
Downloads: 256
Language: English
Subject: Satire
Subject: English fiction -- 19th century
Subject: Orangutans -- Fiction
LoCC: Language and Literatures: English literature
Category: Text
Rights: Public domain in the USA.
This edition has images.
LoC No.: 07033747
Title: Melincourt : or, Sir Oran Haut-Ton
Original Publication: London: Macmillan and Co., 1896.
Note: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melincourt_(novel)
Credits: Richard Tonsing, Tim Lindell, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)
Summary: "Melincourt: or, Sir Oran Haut-Ton" by Thomas Love Peacock is a satirical novel written in the early 19th century. The story appears to focus on the adventures and social situations surrounding the young heiress Anthelia Melincourt, as well as the philosophical and political commentaries delivered through an eccentric cast, including the enigmatic Sir Oran Haut-Ton—an orangutan presented as the “natural man.” The novel blends romantic intrigue and comedic elements with sharp criticism of social customs, politics, and contemporary intellectual debates, often caricaturing prominent public figures and issues such as political corruption and the abolition of slavery. Peacock’s work is known for its witty dialogue, biting irony, and its playful approach to the conventions of both the novel and society. The opening of the book, including its introduction and the first chapters, sets the stage by introducing Anthelia Melincourt—wealthy, orphaned, and independent—living secluded in a grand, half-ruined castle amid the wilds of Westmoreland. She is pursued by various fortune-hunting suitors, with comic attention given to the superficiality and scheming of fashionable society. Early scenes emphasize Anthelia’s romantic idealism, her education amidst nature, and her skeptical view of marriage based solely on status or wealth. The narrative then shifts to a cast of eccentric and often satirical characters: Sir Telegraph Paxarett, the worldly bachelor; Sylvan Forester, the philosophical reformer; the taciturn “natural man” Sir Oran Haut-Ton, and various others representing types of social and ideological affectation. Through lively dinner conversations and comedic social clashes—often centering on earnest, if quixotic, ideas about moral reform or the rights of man—Peacock begins to weave his critiques of society, politics, philosophy, and human nature, setting up a narrative driven as much by spirited debate as by plot. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Reading Level: Reading ease score: 64.1 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
Author: Peacock, Thomas Love, 1785-1866
Author of introduction, etc.: Saintsbury, George, 1845-1933
Illustrator: Townsend, F. H. (Frederick Henry), 1868-1920
EBook No.: 75943
Published: Apr 23, 2025
Downloads: 256
Language: English
Subject: Satire
Subject: English fiction -- 19th century
Subject: Orangutans -- Fiction
LoCC: Language and Literatures: English literature
Category: Text
Rights: Public domain in the USA.