Dolly Dialogues

by Anthony Hope, Howard Chandler Christy (Illustrations)

"There's ingratitude for you!" Miss Dolly Foster exclaimed suddenly.

"Where!" I asked, rousing myself from meditation.

She pointed to a young man who had just passed where we sat. He was dressed very smartly, and was walking with a lady attired in the height of the fashion.

"I made that man," said Dolly, "and now he cuts me dead before the whole of the Row! It's atrocious. Why, but for me, do you suppose he'd be at this moment engaged to three thousand a year and -- and the plainest girl in London?"

"Not that," I pleaded; "think of --"

"Well, very plain anyhow. I was quite ready to bow to him. I almost did."

"In fact you did?"

"I didn't. I declare I didn't."

"Oh, well, you didn't then. It only looked like it."

"I met him," said Miss Dolly, "three years ago. At that time he was -- oh, quite unpresentable. He was everything he shouldn't be. He was a teetotaler, you know, and he didn't smoke, and he was always going to concerts. Oh, and he wore his hair long, and his trousers short, and his hat on the back of his head. And his umbrella --"

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Victorian

ebook

First published January 1, 1894

About the author

Prolific English novelist and playwright Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins especially composed adventure. People remember him best only for the book The Prisoner of Zenda (1894) and its sequel Rupert of Hentzau (1898). These works, "minor classics" of English literature, set in the contemporaneous fictional country of Ruritania, spawned the genre, known as Ruritanian romance. Zenda inspired many adaptations, most notably the Hollywood movie of 1937 of the same name.

Reviews

[Sherwood Smith]

My copy is falling apart. I don't know if these have been reissued, but they are Hope's wit at its very best; a comedy of manners set of short stories tangentially connected, in the silver fork style.

Dolly marries dull but steady and rich Lord Mickleham, in the teeth of his formidable mother and catty sisters, and in spite of her sometime romance with first person narrator Sam Carter. Sam flirts lightly with other women, such as the very good Mrs. Hillary, but he carries a torch for frivolous Dolly until she tricks her way through the Pearly Gates.

The stories are slight, the observations of high society shrewd and yet forgiving, the writing is brilliant in its seemingly effortless unstudiedness. It is very much of its period, yet there is a curious chapter in which Hope digs his quill into the savagery of hunting with an unexpected bit of gender reversal.

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humorous dialogues of the flippant bachelor Carter with his flirtatious friend Dolly and other acquaintances.

Good practice for modern readers in picking up implication in Victorian writing, as the large gaps make it clear where the reader is meant to fill in something that isn't being said.

It appears to be free for Kindle and is included in The Woollcott Reader.

[K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for free on my phone at random moments during the past few weeks. Five stars for wit & humor, sometimes laugh out-loud. Liked it, but not worth a five in either subject matter, philosophy or anything but the humor & crisp writing. Good way, however, to pass the time when waiting in the car, etc.

[Elizabeth Burgess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite enjoyed the little insights into the feeling of love at first sight - humorous yet strikingly realistic - and the wonderful flirtation between Mr Carter and Dolly. Truly loved Dolly's entire character - my little late 19th century soul sister. Most of the stories without Dolly didn't hold my interest as much but overall a good read.

[Auntiecatherine]

The Dolly Dialogues by Anthony Hope (?)

[Kathy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Obscure. Too clever by half.