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Hermsprong: or, Man as he is Not
Robert Bage’s Hermsprong satirizes English society of the 1790s targeting, in particular, corrupt clergymen, grasping lawyers and wicked aristocrats. The protagonist, a European raised among Native Americans, visits Europe and is dismayed by what he encounters. While such satire might seem conventional enough, Hermsprong is distinguished from other political novels of the period by its comedy, and it is a measure of Bage’s success that he won the admiration of writers as different in political outlook as Mary Wollstonecraft and Sir Walter Scott. Indeed, Hermsprong is built around debate, and celebrates the pleasures of the lively exchange of ideas. This Broadview edition contains extensive primary source appendices including material by William Godwin, Benjamin Franklin, Pierre de Charlevoix, and Voltaire.
387 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1796
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120 people want to read
About the author
Robert Bage
62 books1 followerRobert Bage was an English businessman and novelist.
It was not until he was 53 that he took to literature; but in the 15 years following he produced six novels, of which Sir Walter Scott said that "strong mind, playful fancy, and extensive knowledge are everywhere apparent."
Scott included Mount Henneth (1781), Barham Downs (1784), and James Wallace (1792) in his series of Ballantyne novels. Bage was brought up as a Quaker, but he became a philosophical and religious radical after the French Revolution. He advocated democracy and equality (the abolition of the peerage), as well as the abolition of institutional religion. A member of the Derby Philosophical Society,
he was also associated with the Lunar Society of Birmingham.
The work for which he is chiefly read today is Hermsprong, his last novel. Although regarded as radical at the time, it is somewhat disjointed. The first section has strong philosophical content; however, it then turns to a sentimental novel form and follows a romance. The philosophical challenge of the novel is that it concerns an American who has been raised entirely by American Indians, without either formal education or religion.
With only nature to teach him, he sees through the hypocrisy of society and English manners. It is notable for pursuing the theme of the noble savage and, in particular, "nativism" or innatism. When the novel exchanges social satire for a love story, however, it loses any power to debunk educational and classist abuses.
It was not until he was 53 that he took to literature; but in the 15 years following he produced six novels, of which Sir Walter Scott said that "strong mind, playful fancy, and extensive knowledge are everywhere apparent."
Scott included Mount Henneth (1781), Barham Downs (1784), and James Wallace (1792) in his series of Ballantyne novels. Bage was brought up as a Quaker, but he became a philosophical and religious radical after the French Revolution. He advocated democracy and equality (the abolition of the peerage), as well as the abolition of institutional religion. A member of the Derby Philosophical Society,
he was also associated with the Lunar Society of Birmingham.
The work for which he is chiefly read today is Hermsprong, his last novel. Although regarded as radical at the time, it is somewhat disjointed. The first section has strong philosophical content; however, it then turns to a sentimental novel form and follows a romance. The philosophical challenge of the novel is that it concerns an American who has been raised entirely by American Indians, without either formal education or religion.
With only nature to teach him, he sees through the hypocrisy of society and English manners. It is notable for pursuing the theme of the noble savage and, in particular, "nativism" or innatism. When the novel exchanges social satire for a love story, however, it loses any power to debunk educational and classist abuses.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 9, 2014
Suprisingly good novel. Given the date of publication and the obscurity of the publisher (and author), I feared a tiresome read ploughing through a boring and out-dated text. Nothing could be further from the truth, however. Bage's style is far more lively and colourful than some of my contemporary fellow students would allow for, making his satire very succesful. It was a funny and quite eloquently written novel, although the frequent occurrence of letters was rather cumbersome at times. Another minor problem was the narrator, Gregory Glen, of which I fail to see the use, both from an aesthetic and a practical point of view.
A little remark, however: Mr. Hermsprong's opposition to the equal distribution of wealth, and his plea for peasants not to rise above their allotted place in society, is very much at odds with his clear commitment to human rights and radicalism. I wonder why Bage made that decision.
A little remark, however: Mr. Hermsprong's opposition to the equal distribution of wealth, and his plea for peasants not to rise above their allotted place in society, is very much at odds with his clear commitment to human rights and radicalism. I wonder why Bage made that decision.
November 25, 2012
This was maybe my favorite book of the quarter. Witty, light-hearted, and critical of its society, Hermsprong was a really fun read. Also, Miss Fluart is completely, ridiculously awesome and Bage didn't feel it necessary to marry her off at the end, which was kind of groundbreaking. Caroline Campinet (the ostensible heroine) is pretty boring, but Maria Fluart more than makes up for it.
This one is underappreciated. Check it out.
This one is underappreciated. Check it out.
May 29, 2017
read with Jane Austen book club; this was a book dear Jane owned- her signed copy lives in the huntington library- so certainly she read this. a really delightful romp, with echoes of what would later be themes and characters recognizable in her later works, and the wry sly wit so familiar in Jane.
May 26, 2015
I bought this ages ago from a second hand stall because I thought it sounded interesting, but never got round to reading it b/c it felt a bit like homework. Actually, though, it was more enjoyable than I expected for a 220 year-old political novel.
The politics was apparently genuinely quite dangerous for the time; the book was published in 1796, during the aftermath of the French Revolution — just a couple of years after the Reign of Terror — and the British thought police were in full sway, with a real risk of prosecution for sedition. Indeed the repressive atmosphere is alluded to in the book.
Hermsprong, the title character, is a man who was raised among Native Americans (or as the novel refers to them, 'savages') and who has spent a few years on the continent, especially France. He is a mix of Rousseau-ian noble savage and enlightenment egalitarian radical; so he has an artless lack of polite manners but a simple clear morality, no respect for social class, and a belief in the equality of the sexes. So when he mixes with the English country gentry and starts wooing a local girl, a culture-clash ensues.
Hermsprong and his love interest Caroline are both a little dull. As much as I agree with his opinions, he is annoyingly preachy; which I guess is a disadvantage of being an authorial mouthpiece. We are constantly told how his open personality wins people over, but it's hard to imagine it. And she is an extremely proper, dutiful young lady with the personality of damp tissue paper.
However, all the surrounding characters are much more entertaining: particularly Caroline's tyrannical, hard-living father, and his toadying vicar and lawyer; and Miss Fluart, Caroline's much livelier best friend. And the prose is light and readable, except when Hermsprong is pontificating about morality.
It would be interesting to read one of his less overtly political novels, but they all appear to be out of print.
The politics was apparently genuinely quite dangerous for the time; the book was published in 1796, during the aftermath of the French Revolution — just a couple of years after the Reign of Terror — and the British thought police were in full sway, with a real risk of prosecution for sedition. Indeed the repressive atmosphere is alluded to in the book.
Hermsprong, the title character, is a man who was raised among Native Americans (or as the novel refers to them, 'savages') and who has spent a few years on the continent, especially France. He is a mix of Rousseau-ian noble savage and enlightenment egalitarian radical; so he has an artless lack of polite manners but a simple clear morality, no respect for social class, and a belief in the equality of the sexes. So when he mixes with the English country gentry and starts wooing a local girl, a culture-clash ensues.
Hermsprong and his love interest Caroline are both a little dull. As much as I agree with his opinions, he is annoyingly preachy; which I guess is a disadvantage of being an authorial mouthpiece. We are constantly told how his open personality wins people over, but it's hard to imagine it. And she is an extremely proper, dutiful young lady with the personality of damp tissue paper.
However, all the surrounding characters are much more entertaining: particularly Caroline's tyrannical, hard-living father, and his toadying vicar and lawyer; and Miss Fluart, Caroline's much livelier best friend. And the prose is light and readable, except when Hermsprong is pontificating about morality.
It would be interesting to read one of his less overtly political novels, but they all appear to be out of print.
March 25, 2022
sighhhhhhh
April 28, 2021
Hermsprong was mentioned by the author of a Jane Austen biography so, intrigued, this reviewer purchased the Kindle version. It proved enjoyable. Written in 1796, read by Jane Austen at the time and obviously absorbed by her in her writing, the novel was funny, insightful, instructional, and a bit preachy. Miss Austen covers many of the same themes and there are similar characters in her works—she does a much better job creating more believable and robust characters with more droll wit. Amazingly, this reviewer is not going to share this title with her sister to avoid creating disappointment in her sibling in Austen because of the similarities to many of Jane Austen’s works.
Characters similar to Austen and Bage:
Elizabeth Bennett Miss Bingley
Mr. Collins Wickham
Fanny Price Eleanor Dashwood
Catherine de Bourgh Mr. Darcy
Themes covered and similar by Austen and Bage:
pride and prejudice
senses and sensibilities
duties, at any social level, that reach absurdity in the social hierarchy.
upper class follies
sycophantic clergy
mockery of novels –especially romances and those read by women
political satire
use of letters to communicate –completely understandable given the time period
There were a few issues, one was the structure which counted on a narrator, Gregory Glen, who was not necessarily needed and created a bit of confusion in the text. Most of the first part of the book seemed to be in the first person, then it seemed to switch to third person. It was witty to have him break the third wall and he provided the link to Mrs. Garnet who was pivotal to the conclusion.
Mr. Hermsprong’s views were given to be quite liberal and generous; therefore, his response to the miners revolt to accept that they are poor and happy and the wealthy are wealthy and that is all there is to it, did not match. Was Bage worried about having people accept his novel? It rather made one wonder if the entire work was a satire. This does seem haphazard and several of the characters were incompletely written especially our heroine. She seemed difficult to like and believe in (similar to Austen’s Fanny Price) and even our hero was let down by her excessive familial duty to her father.
Miss Fluart seemed more three-dimensional than Miss Campinet. It was certainly a plus that Bage did not have her marry at the end. Hermsprong’s belief in the equality between men and women, his differences as a gentleman (from wanting to drink water and not wine and liquor to reading over playing cards) had the reader cheer him on. His lack of social skills did not lose him friends even though many, himself included, described him as a ‘savage’ and only heightened the enjoyment of the entertaining twist at the end of the novel.
Women were still forced by men to be educated in the trivial. Our powerful, intelligent, women, Eleanor Roosevelt, Hilary Clinton, Michelle O’Baman are still judged as such—preference on their looks or lack there of, rather then their merits. Bage was cognizant of such absurdities and gave the best line of the text to a discussion Hermsprong was having with Miss Flauart, “I consider a woman as equal to a man; but, let it not displease you, my dear Miss Fluart, I consider a man also as equal to a woman.”
Characters similar to Austen and Bage:
Elizabeth Bennett Miss Bingley
Mr. Collins Wickham
Fanny Price Eleanor Dashwood
Catherine de Bourgh Mr. Darcy
Themes covered and similar by Austen and Bage:
pride and prejudice
senses and sensibilities
duties, at any social level, that reach absurdity in the social hierarchy.
upper class follies
sycophantic clergy
mockery of novels –especially romances and those read by women
political satire
use of letters to communicate –completely understandable given the time period
There were a few issues, one was the structure which counted on a narrator, Gregory Glen, who was not necessarily needed and created a bit of confusion in the text. Most of the first part of the book seemed to be in the first person, then it seemed to switch to third person. It was witty to have him break the third wall and he provided the link to Mrs. Garnet who was pivotal to the conclusion.
Mr. Hermsprong’s views were given to be quite liberal and generous; therefore, his response to the miners revolt to accept that they are poor and happy and the wealthy are wealthy and that is all there is to it, did not match. Was Bage worried about having people accept his novel? It rather made one wonder if the entire work was a satire. This does seem haphazard and several of the characters were incompletely written especially our heroine. She seemed difficult to like and believe in (similar to Austen’s Fanny Price) and even our hero was let down by her excessive familial duty to her father.
Miss Fluart seemed more three-dimensional than Miss Campinet. It was certainly a plus that Bage did not have her marry at the end. Hermsprong’s belief in the equality between men and women, his differences as a gentleman (from wanting to drink water and not wine and liquor to reading over playing cards) had the reader cheer him on. His lack of social skills did not lose him friends even though many, himself included, described him as a ‘savage’ and only heightened the enjoyment of the entertaining twist at the end of the novel.
Women were still forced by men to be educated in the trivial. Our powerful, intelligent, women, Eleanor Roosevelt, Hilary Clinton, Michelle O’Baman are still judged as such—preference on their looks or lack there of, rather then their merits. Bage was cognizant of such absurdities and gave the best line of the text to a discussion Hermsprong was having with Miss Flauart, “I consider a woman as equal to a man; but, let it not displease you, my dear Miss Fluart, I consider a man also as equal to a woman.”
January 29, 2021
I've mentioned more that once how much I dislike fiction that seems to have been written more to argue some idea than to tell a story. That doesn't mean there aren't a few well-written allegories that prove it is possible to write a good story even while focusing on the intention of making an argument, proving a point, or exploring some idea - those rare specimens to exist. It's just that they're exceptions, to the general rule. Hermsprong is not an exception. The whole thing has been written to espouse some not especially deep or contraversial philosophy, which is expressed mostly through contrived conversations between characters. Exploring ideas through dialogue worked well for Plato, but not every writer can pull that off, and certainly not when they're also trying to work around a loosely formed plot. What you end up with in Hermsprong is an unsatisfactory and simplistic philosophical debate stashed haphazardly in an ill-plotted novel. The characters are hard to like, and often hard to believe in. The style of narration I can't even begin to work out. The first several chapters are a first person perspective on the narrator, who isn't really an agent in the rest of the story, so most of the book actually feels like a third-person perspective, with the narrator dropping in (and now referring to himself in the third person) just often enough to remind readers that he's there, and make one wonder how he knows so much about the private correspondence of other characters. Reading this felt like time wasted.
November 20, 2022
Marketed as satire, Hermsprong should be sold as an out-and-out comedy, it’s a very funny book written in a deft, playfully ironic tone similar to the one I love in Fielding.
I expected the book to start in the third person, telling the birth and childhood of the young Hermsprong amongst the natives of America. Then I expected him to get into some misunderstanding or romantic disappointment which sent him travelling into England, arguing with various representatives of the status quo. I thought the narration would be pretty straight-forward and a little flat, the highlights being the caricatures of stuffy English types. Instead, the book starts in the first person, told by the wonderfully ridiculous and ham-fisted Gregory Glen, who decides to settle down in the quaint village of Grondale. Then we are introduced to the key characters in Grondale, their quirks and flaws, before Hermsprong turns up and stirs the pot. As such, it’s structured a little more like a sitcom and rather than being tied to the slightly-dull Hermsprong, we spend more time seeing how he effects the other far more interesting characters.
I think the key to this book’s humour and pleasure is Gregory, the narrator. First, it unsettles the reader, learning of his own birth as a bastard and how he was paid to stay as far away from his noble father as possible, so he settles in Grondale with enough money to mooch about - he’s a sap and not the person the reader expects to meet first. When he is mildly unlucky in love, he plans to throw himself in the sea like Sappho but faints before he gets the chance, instead of this being treated sentimentally (or even mock-heroically) it’s treated ridiculously - the reader learns that this isn’t going to be a romance full of sighs and tears.
What’s more, Gregory’s tone is so wonderful. Early on, he has a go as a poets and, “produced some poetry which I though sublime. I could not bring the booksellers to coincide with this opinion.” - If that’s not an accurate description of being an unsuccessful writer, I don’t know what is. The zingers keep coming, whether it’s describing “the agreeable garrulousness of a fretful woman” or a young man “with a sweet, pretty face and two well-enough shaped legs” which then goes on for a page describing how that young man’s sense of self is built on those legs.
Gregory also has Shandean moments where imaginary interlocutors from the readership mock and question him. Once pesters him to get on with the story itself, there’s a small digression about digressions and, when he actually enters the story as a character, he awkwardly explains that he’s going to refer to himself in the third person and he actually does. I loved him as narrator.
My other favourite character was Miss Fluart. She’s the female protagonist’s funny, outrageous best friend - and she is. Indeed, she’s a little too vivacious and sometimes puts the meeker, more sensible female protagonist in the shadow. She’s an orphan taken in by the eccentric Mr Sumelin and his less eccentric family. She has personal wealth and doesn’t have the pressure of carrying on a family name, or marrying for stability, as such she is free to play and have fun. Her name sounds like ‘flirt’ and she does but not to climb social ladders or advance herself. She flirts to distract unwanted men away from her friend and to have fun. Never lost for a witty remark, she even manages to lead Lord Grondale on, without ever promising anything (even getting a peek into his pornovallion), as she also distracts the odious Lord Chestrum. She and Hermsprong have a fun, teasing relationship and it’s her that gets him to loosen up the most.
Lord Grondale makes a great villain, he’s vain, conceited and expects respect and love because of his wealth and titles. He’s a blustering, noisy baddie, yet there is a little sadness for him at the end of the book even as he brings the comeuppance on himself. He’s joined by the slimily upward mobile priest, Doctor Blixen and helped by the lawyer, Corrow. At one point this lawyer gives a speech where he tries to make Hermsprong look bad in court and so magnifies somesome small inconsistencies about him. Corrow’s speech starts, “At a time when the nation is so greatly, excessively, alarmingly alarmed, agitated and convulsed” and goes on in that thesauristical vein for two pages.
Another inconvenience is Lord Chestrum, a weak, mummy’s boy who applies to Lord Grondale to be his daughter’s husband. His daughter is Miss Campinet, who loves Hermsprong but is too dutiful to her father to marry without his permission. The chapter where Chestrum chats her up for the first time but is so ham-handed about it that she doesn’t realise is very funny. Though Miss Campinet isn’t as lively as Miss Fluart, she’s not a total wilting lettuce and she gets some good lines in against Chestrum. When he declares that he’d die if he can’t marry her, she replies that she’d die if she did and if one of them must die, she’d rather it was Chestrum than herself.
But what about Hermsprong, the title character himself? He’s intended to be the ‘natural’ man, honest to a fault, full of benevolence and free of selfishness and vice - he’s rather dull. It’s a real merit to the book that his main role is to pop in and out, causing problems for our bad characters and benefits to our good ones. His playful, unserious flirting with Miss Fluart is fun though and he readily admits that his private wealth make things easier for him, “One lives well everywhere if one has money, and ill, if one does not.” (Is this a famous quote? I’m sure I’ve heard it before.) There’s also the interesting sting in the tail that Hermsprong wasn’t as impartial and disinterested as he made out.
All in all, this book was far more engaging and enjoyable than I expected and deserves to be better known.
I expected the book to start in the third person, telling the birth and childhood of the young Hermsprong amongst the natives of America. Then I expected him to get into some misunderstanding or romantic disappointment which sent him travelling into England, arguing with various representatives of the status quo. I thought the narration would be pretty straight-forward and a little flat, the highlights being the caricatures of stuffy English types. Instead, the book starts in the first person, told by the wonderfully ridiculous and ham-fisted Gregory Glen, who decides to settle down in the quaint village of Grondale. Then we are introduced to the key characters in Grondale, their quirks and flaws, before Hermsprong turns up and stirs the pot. As such, it’s structured a little more like a sitcom and rather than being tied to the slightly-dull Hermsprong, we spend more time seeing how he effects the other far more interesting characters.
I think the key to this book’s humour and pleasure is Gregory, the narrator. First, it unsettles the reader, learning of his own birth as a bastard and how he was paid to stay as far away from his noble father as possible, so he settles in Grondale with enough money to mooch about - he’s a sap and not the person the reader expects to meet first. When he is mildly unlucky in love, he plans to throw himself in the sea like Sappho but faints before he gets the chance, instead of this being treated sentimentally (or even mock-heroically) it’s treated ridiculously - the reader learns that this isn’t going to be a romance full of sighs and tears.
What’s more, Gregory’s tone is so wonderful. Early on, he has a go as a poets and, “produced some poetry which I though sublime. I could not bring the booksellers to coincide with this opinion.” - If that’s not an accurate description of being an unsuccessful writer, I don’t know what is. The zingers keep coming, whether it’s describing “the agreeable garrulousness of a fretful woman” or a young man “with a sweet, pretty face and two well-enough shaped legs” which then goes on for a page describing how that young man’s sense of self is built on those legs.
Gregory also has Shandean moments where imaginary interlocutors from the readership mock and question him. Once pesters him to get on with the story itself, there’s a small digression about digressions and, when he actually enters the story as a character, he awkwardly explains that he’s going to refer to himself in the third person and he actually does. I loved him as narrator.
My other favourite character was Miss Fluart. She’s the female protagonist’s funny, outrageous best friend - and she is. Indeed, she’s a little too vivacious and sometimes puts the meeker, more sensible female protagonist in the shadow. She’s an orphan taken in by the eccentric Mr Sumelin and his less eccentric family. She has personal wealth and doesn’t have the pressure of carrying on a family name, or marrying for stability, as such she is free to play and have fun. Her name sounds like ‘flirt’ and she does but not to climb social ladders or advance herself. She flirts to distract unwanted men away from her friend and to have fun. Never lost for a witty remark, she even manages to lead Lord Grondale on, without ever promising anything (even getting a peek into his pornovallion), as she also distracts the odious Lord Chestrum. She and Hermsprong have a fun, teasing relationship and it’s her that gets him to loosen up the most.
Lord Grondale makes a great villain, he’s vain, conceited and expects respect and love because of his wealth and titles. He’s a blustering, noisy baddie, yet there is a little sadness for him at the end of the book even as he brings the comeuppance on himself. He’s joined by the slimily upward mobile priest, Doctor Blixen and helped by the lawyer, Corrow. At one point this lawyer gives a speech where he tries to make Hermsprong look bad in court and so magnifies somesome small inconsistencies about him. Corrow’s speech starts, “At a time when the nation is so greatly, excessively, alarmingly alarmed, agitated and convulsed” and goes on in that thesauristical vein for two pages.
Another inconvenience is Lord Chestrum, a weak, mummy’s boy who applies to Lord Grondale to be his daughter’s husband. His daughter is Miss Campinet, who loves Hermsprong but is too dutiful to her father to marry without his permission. The chapter where Chestrum chats her up for the first time but is so ham-handed about it that she doesn’t realise is very funny. Though Miss Campinet isn’t as lively as Miss Fluart, she’s not a total wilting lettuce and she gets some good lines in against Chestrum. When he declares that he’d die if he can’t marry her, she replies that she’d die if she did and if one of them must die, she’d rather it was Chestrum than herself.
But what about Hermsprong, the title character himself? He’s intended to be the ‘natural’ man, honest to a fault, full of benevolence and free of selfishness and vice - he’s rather dull. It’s a real merit to the book that his main role is to pop in and out, causing problems for our bad characters and benefits to our good ones. His playful, unserious flirting with Miss Fluart is fun though and he readily admits that his private wealth make things easier for him, “One lives well everywhere if one has money, and ill, if one does not.” (Is this a famous quote? I’m sure I’ve heard it before.) There’s also the interesting sting in the tail that Hermsprong wasn’t as impartial and disinterested as he made out.
All in all, this book was far more engaging and enjoyable than I expected and deserves to be better known.
December 7, 2021
This book contains revolutionary ideas! Hermsprong says exactly what he thinks and Miss Fluart is absolutely the best character for decisively contradicting social conventions of the time.
June 14, 2022
A book which has sat on my shelf for an unreasonable amount of time. There were times when it was heavy going and I was half-tempted to put it back, but at other times it felt witty and sprightly and the pages zipped by. It is steeped in the politics of the 1790's, when Paine's The Rights of Man was proscribed and arguments for women's rights were getting their first hearing. The titular character is one the C18th's favourite things, 'a noble savage' (although not really all that savage). He is setting his stall out against the reactionary forces of land and property. He sort of wins in the end, but only because he is also the beneficiary of inherited privilege. But its fun enough in part.
April 11, 2013
There are some parts of this novel that drag a little, but overall, it is highly amusing and unconventional. The novelist is clearly aware of generic traditions and has some great fun in diverging from them. Many academic critics are disappointed by the surprise that comes at the novel's end, but I do not find it to be terribly upsetting. The book is enjoyable for a number of reasons, including narrative digressions, political discussions, and a terrific wedding scene. I recommend it to anyone looking for something a little unexpected, even by eighteenth-century standards.
September 9, 2014
Quirky ,witty in a unique way.
unfinished
August 11, 2017Reading for my next JASNA meeting but I just can't make it through. I literally have no idea what is going on.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews