Night and morning

by Edward Bulwer-Lytton

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

Genres: Classics, Victorian, Fiction, Classic Literature

562 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1841

About the author

Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton PC, was an English novelist, poet, playwright, and politician. Lord Lytton was a florid, popular writer of his day, who coined such phrases as "the great unwashed", "pursuit of the almighty dollar", "the pen is mightier than the sword", and the infamous incipit "It was a dark and stormy night."

He was the youngest son of General William Earle Bulwer of Heydon Hall and Wood Dalling, Norfolk and Elizabeth Barbara Lytton, daughter of Richard Warburton Lytton of Knebworth, Hertfordshire. He had two brothers, William Earle Lytton Bulwer (1799–1877) and Henry Bulwer, 1st Baron Dalling and Bulwer.

Lord Lytton's original surname was Bulwer, the names 'Earle' and 'Lytton' were middle names. On 20 February 1844 he assumed the name and arms of Lytton by royal licence and his surname then became 'Bulwer-Lytton'. His widowed mother had done the same in 1811. His brothers were always simply surnamed 'Bulwer'.

Reviews

[Katie Lumsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really great read - shades of Dickens and Alexandre Dumas, with some fantastic characters and a great, compelling plot.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and evocative. Typically Bulwer-Lytton. Made me cry almost from the beginning.

The unfairness of life is fodder for most novelists, and perhaps no one expresses it more passionately than Edward Bulwer-Lytton. His characters are abruptly thrown into poverty from wealth, and must make their own way in the world. The disparate lives of the rich and poor are highlighted in Victorian Technicolor, and if his stories are sometimes unlikely, his characters are not.

So, for lack of a scrap of paper, Philip and his brother Sidney, heirs to a large estate, find themselves thrown out on the street. Somehow, against all odds, they must prove their rights...even to bear their father's name.

"Night and Morning" is not as wordy as some of his other novels, and completely lacks the out-of-control sentences that occasionally mar "Paul Clifford." Instead of the usual multiple interwoven plots, he sticks to a few and does them nicely.

I read the Project Gutenberg edition, which has the usual scanning errors, but is not bad overall.

[Liedzeit Liedzeit · Rating 5 out of 5]

A guy marries secretly in order not too loose his inheritance. Unfortunately, just when rich uncle finally dies he himself falls off his horse. Everything goes to his brother Robert. Robert chooses not to believe in the marriage. Widow, Catherine goes to court but nothing can be proved. Vicar dead, first witness dead, second vanished, register destroyed copy of register vanished. Now, the two rightful heirs have nothing. But the younger, Sydney is sent to an uncle, the older, Philip, starts apprenticeship. So far, so good. But, Sydney is unhappy and then Mother dies. Philip escapes with little brother, but not for long. For some reason Robert and his son, Arthur want to save Sydney, Philip due to some displayed arrogance is considered bad. But there is also some guy Spencer, also an uncle, I believe, who gets hands on the fellow. And, unthankful, he writes to his brother that he prefers a life with a pony to brotherly love. No wonder Philip goes out into the world with some doubtful friends. One, Gawtry, is a coiner, but at heart a good fellow. It gets more and more complicated from here on. And for a while I was lost, but BL got me again. In the end, Philip, returning as some mysterious French guy with some nice love affair that is mentioned in passing, gets his honored name back. Before that he suffers another loss. He falls in love with his cousin, the daughter of his enemy. He is allowed to get her hand, the only way for Robert to clinch to the fortune, but then it appears she is really in love with Sydney. Isn’t this exciting?
This is all to the good, so he can marry his true love, Fanny in the end.
Now, Fanny is the best character, she is depicted as an idiot. Talking of herself as Fanny, but the love for Philip somehow improves her. Sounds crude, but BL really manages to make it convincing. Then we have the real villain, Lord Lilburne, amazingly good. He is Granddad of Fanny.
Absolutely marvelous.

[Tania Rook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so hard. It's like a companion piece to Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, in that it is concerned with the lives of those who can just about get by on their own resources. However, it comes in from the other side, the male perspective. Never given an option, Elizabeth Bennet doesn't have much interest in not being her father's heir.

Night and Morning follows Pippin, son of Pip and Kate. Pippin's defining characteristic is PRIDE. He and Darcy would have coldly ignored one another across the crowded ballroom, and then Ernest Maltravers would walk by and snub them both. Such is the life of the wealthy British landowner. Very long noses, permanently being looked down.

Unfortunately for Pippin, due to circumstances outside his control, he loses his family name, and is henceforth thrown under a bus called PREJUDICE, where he resides a good long while. Only a kind-hearted man, then a kind-hearted woman, save him from desperation and dying of starvation and consumption like Isabel in The Disowned, which I am still salty about. If Pippin recognises the extent of his good fortune in having strangers willing to set him solidly on his feet when he needs it most, he didn't ensure it made the text of the book. Still got plenty of PRIDE does our Pippin.

This is a spectacular read. There's less moralising, no singing (thank you!), no long meandering passages through some miracle of natural beauty. There are just a well selected cast of characters whose roles either inspire or outrage, playing one of Eddie's beautifully crafted games of chess.

[Caio Chaves · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um bom romance vitoriano com todas as intrigas que fazem o gênero tão delicioso de ler em dia de verão. A história busca a dualidade entre a manhã e noite para narrar a saga de Phillipe para se vingar da traição do tio, que nunca acreditou que ele fosse um filho legítimo, o que o levou a diversos erros até sua redenção final.
A grande questão é que o enredo tem uma premissa bem falha: um casamento não reconhecido, filhos bastardos que não são bastardos e muitas tragédias que poderiam serem evitadas se todos tivessem conversado como adultos.
O que é engraçado é que o grande vilão do livro é o pai de Phillip, um nobre bem estúpido que não queria perder a herança do tio ao se casar com uma burguesa, por isso casa-se em segredo e misteriosamente o registro de casamento some. Através do erro dele, desencadeia-se uma série de desgraças tão previsíveis que se tornam quase cômicas. Até juramentos ao pé do túmulo acontece na história e os personagens são construídos de maneiras tão confusas e duvidosas, que senão fosse pelo carismo e pela força da escrita do Lytton, seria uma verdadeira loucura o livro e não prenderia, porque é o tipo de situações que acontecem que você já sabe que vão acontecer seguidamente, o livro não tem uma surpresa para quem já leu outros romances do período e acredito que do autor também. O fundo moralista da história incomoda um pouco, porque soa artificial o tempo inteiro.
É um romance divertido porém não é algo imperdível.