“The History of Sir Charles Grandison” Richardson in brief
The work is preceded by the preface of the publisher, reminiscent of the heroes of previously published novels. “Pamela” – a certificate of the benefits of virtue; “Clarissa” is an instruction to those parents who by unreasonable coercion produce evil. Finally, “Grandison” is “the deeds of the elegant soul”, unswervingly following the firm moral rules in all life situations.
A charming, orphaned young girl from a good family, Miss Harriet Byron, writes to her relative Lucy Selby the most detailed letters about her stay in London in the family of her cousin Archibald Reeves. Letters are not without coquetry, since the girl describes the characters, habits, manners of all her admirers. The merits of Miss Harriet Byron, her appearance, elegance, education, attract many admirers to her. But neither nobility, nor wealth, nor attractive appearance is a sufficient reason for marriage. Harriet writes that freedom given to her by relatives
Archibald Reeves enters into correspondence. He tells his relatives Selby of a terrible misfortune. Harriet Byron was kidnapped when she returned from the masquerade. Suspicion falls on John Greville, the rejected challenger on the hand of Miss Byron. He promised to leave London after he was refused, but secretly stayed in the city, having moved to another apartment. Later, other abductees are identified. Only a few days later the true circumstances of the incident become clear. The Reeves family received a letter signed by Charlotte Grandison, which states that the girl is in their house and is so weak that she can not even write with her own hands. Everyone oppresses the idea that a pretty girl could become a victim of violence. Fortunately, the circumstances were favorable and the honor of the girl was not hurt,
Cousin Reeves immediately
Sir Charles Grandison talks about the circumstances under which he met Harriet Byron. Returning from London, he saw a racing carriage and, determined to avoid a collision, ordered his coachman to turn aside. But involuntarily blocked the way of the approaching crew. When he stopped, Sir Charles heard a woman’s scream and saw in the coach window a woman wrapped in a cloak. Noticing the coat of arms on the doors of the crew, Sir Charles decided to find out what was wrong. The owner of the coach rather rudely replied that he was taking his wife, who had violated his marital duty, to his estate. The woman tried to escape from his hands and asked for help. Since the young lady claimed that she was not the wife of this gentleman, but was kidnapped by him, Sir Charles decided to intervene and free the lady from the hands of a rude gentleman. He did not mention the details of this release and was very reserved in the story.
Later, from a letter from Harriet Byron to his girlfriend, Lucy Sidbi, it becomes clear that Sir Charles behaved heroically. The story of her abduction was as follows. After the masquerade, the servants, hired by the lackey Wilson, carried the garment not to Reeves’s house, but to another district of London, to the home of some widow. There the unfortunate Miss Harriet was waiting for the wicked Polksfen. The girl begged the kidnapper to let her go home, but he reminded her of how his pleas for marriage had been rejected. Now, said the failed fiancé, he marries despite the will of the girl. But he will do it as a noble person – in the presence of a priest.
There were priests bribed by Polksenom, who did not want to listen to the explanations of the girl. Only the presence of the widow, misled by the accomplice of the kidnapper Wilson, saved Miss Byron from coercion. When the priests were gone, the girl tried to jump out after Polkofen, who slammed the door so furious that he hurt Miss Byron badly. He was afraid to leave a bleeding girl in London and decided to take his victim to his estate. On the way there, there was a meeting with the noble Sir Charles, who in his story kept silent about the danger to which his own life was exposed. The enraged kidnapper first tried to clamp the girl’s mouth so that her cries could not be heard by Sir Charles, and then he drew his sword against the noble gentleman. Sir Grandison managed to stop the kidnapper, dumping him with a single blow. And only after he informed his companions about his name, he respectfully seated Miss Byron in his carriage. Although Harriet describes in details the details of her abduction in the letters, it was decided to hide both what happened from the acquaintances and the authorities. Everyone who was interested in Miss Byron was informed of her ailment, which required her departure from London for several days.
In subsequent letters, Harriet confesses to her friend that in her letters there can not be the same playfulness and it remains only to be surprised at her own frivolity, with which she described her admirers. Harriet reports in detail about the family of Grandeesons – the charming Charlotte and her brother, Sir Charles, his graceful figure, delicate features, exquisite manners, but with obvious strength and masculinity, without the slightest touch of fussiness or effeminacy. It is immediately evident that Sir Charles did not try to evade the bad weather or other vicissitudes in wait for travelers on the road. The kindness and compassion of Grandison to all living things are so great that he forbids the pruning of the tails to horses, so that animals can wave off annoying insects.
Harriet also talks about the parents of Charles and Charlotte Grandissons. Their father was not an ideal husband, often went away to London and was away for a long time. Once he was brought seriously wounded after the fight. His wife was so deeply shocked that, having left her husband, she soon died. Dying, the unfortunate woman asked her son not to participate in the fights. Later the reader will learn that Sir Charles led a decent life and did not inherit his father’s weaknesses, but always showed his sword to protect the weak.
Miss Byron learns that her captor not only does not feel remorse, but dares to challenge Sir Charles to a duel. Despair covers Harriet to such an extent that she is ready to sacrifice herself, so long as there is nothing threatening the life of Sir Charles. Her cousin Archibald and Lucy Selby have long noticed that the girl is not indifferent to her savior. Fortunately, everything ended very well and the duel once again confirmed the incredible nobility of Sir Charles.
Grandison did not evade the challenge to a duel and, having come to a meeting with Polksfen, tried to convince him that no one has the right to coerce a woman into marriage, especially by force. Outwardly calm, the scoundrel invited Grandison to the garden, allegedly in order to say a few words in private. When the young people were in the garden, Polksfen suddenly tried to foully attack Sir Charles from behind, but failed. Grandison easily threw the hapless enemy to the ground. Polksfenu had to admit defeat. After meeting with Miss Byron, he vowed to leave England.
But the development of relations between Charles Grandison and Harriet Byron was hampered by a heartfelt mystery, the key to which should be sought in the travels of Sir Charles across Italy. Over time, Miss Byron learned all the circumstances of this story. Living in Rome, Sir Charles met the son of a noble family, who led a rather frivolous way of life. Grandison tried to distract Jerome della Poretta from frivolous actions, but failed. The young marquis passionately fell in love with the lady, whose beauty was the only virtue, and left behind her from Rome. After a while, Sir Charles decided to go further, but on the way to Cremona the herd witnessed a terrible event. Already the defeated young man struggled to defend himself from several attackers. Noble Sir Charles could not remain indifferent and rushed to the defense of the unfortunate. Naturally, that he coped with the scoundrels and only after that found out that the victim was Jerome della Poretta. It turns out that the admirers of the lady lurked the rival along with the hired killers.
Delivering the mortally wounded young man to Cremona, Grandison reported what had happened to his family. The whole family of marquesses della Poretta arrived from Bologna, and hardly Jeroimus told his relatives how Sir Charles tried to keep him from rash acts, bravely rushed to protect him from the attackers, with what caution brought him to the city. Adored parents began to call Sir Charles his fourth son, and Jerome – his brother. All this could not but impress upon the only daughter of Marquis of Poretta – Clementine. Since Sir Charles did not dare to leave his friend in serious condition, he settled in Poretta’s house. I read aloud, talked about England and finally finally won the heart of Clementine della Poreg. The girl did not want to pay attention to anyone, even the Count Belvedere,
Hieronymus della Poretta decided that Sir Charles should become his true brother by marrying Clementine. For this, only one condition must be fulfilled: to become a Catholic. But this is an insurmountable obstacle to the noble Grandiose. His heart is free, he could sacrifice everything for the girl, but not by faith. The entire family of Della Poretta, including Jerome, feels insulted, because Clementine belongs to the noblest and richest family in Italy.
The poor girl could not stand what had happened and fell seriously ill – she lost her mind. She could not say a word and sat motionless, she could not find a place and rushed about the room. She wrote endless letters to Sir Charles and did not notice that her relatives were taking them away. The only thing that awakened her to life, it’s talking with an English companion. She also liked to look at the map of England, remembering the noblest Sir Charles. In moments of enlightenment, she insisted on tonsure. But the Marquise della Poretta could not allow the only daughter of such a high-ranking family to imprison herself in a monastery.
Parents decided to let her go on a journey around the country so she could come to her senses. Clementine took advantage of this and left for England, the homeland of her unforgettable Grandiosa.
This trip was favorable for her health. She did not prevent the marriage of Sir Charles with Harriet. And over time, recovered enough that she could agree to a marriage with Count Belvedere.
The novel ends with the beautiful wedding of Miss Byron and Grandison. They settle in the Grandison Hall and enjoy the magnificent nature.
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