Forgotten Authors: Marriage / Gillespie / Ringan Gilhaize

by Susan Edmonstone Ferrier, John MacDougall Hay, John Galt

A collection of three classic Scottish historical novels, each offering a superbly plotted and descriptive narrative. Bundled by subject matter rather than author, the books complement each other to create a compelling trilogy.

Genres: Historical Fiction

Kindle Edition

First published October 2, 2014

About the author

Susan Edmonstone Ferrier was a Scottish novelist. Her novels, giving vivid accounts of Scottish life and presenting sharp views on women's education, remained popular throughout the 19th century.

Reviews

[The Bookish Wombat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to have this sent to my Kindle for review by the Real Readers programme, but if I hadn’t received if for free it would have been terrific value as it contains three “triple-decker” novels – enough to keep this reader going for longer than a single purchase usually would.

As a Scot and as someone who studied English and Scottish Literature at university (many years ago now), I’d heard of the first two books but not the third, so it was great to finally get round to reading the novels I was aware of and to discover something new. All three works were in the three-volume style which was so popular in the 19th century as it meant that lending libraries could lend a single novel to three people at the same time, all reading different parts. This makes each novel as a whole very long and probably more time-consuming than many modern readers are able to deal with – it’s definitely a marathon and not a sprint!

Marriage by Susan Ferrier

Published in 1818, this seems to be a kind of Jane Austen-lite, dealing as it does with the vexed subject of upper class relationships and whether love or money is the better basis for matrimony. It looks at two generations of an aristocratic family – in the older generation a rash marriage for love takes place, in the younger twin girls are separated and brought up very differently, leading to different attitudes to not only love and marriage, but also women’s education and indeed their purpose in life.

There’s nothing subtle going on here – when reading you know exactly who you’re meant to like and who is loathsome. Spinsters are used to comic effect and the Highland Scots have fun poked at them for their rustic living conditions. In places I felt I could see the author inserting bits of filler to make sure she got to the required length, for example someone recites a poem or sings a song and we’re told the entire lyrics of multiple verses. However, despite this, there’s lots to like here in its portrayal of the period and of the lives of women of a certain class. I was left feeling that it was a novel that is undeservedly forgotten.

Gillespie by John MacDougall Hay

To carry on the literary comparisons, this has much in common with some of Thomas Hardy’s novels, and was published in 1915. There are also elements of Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s “A Scots Quair”, in that the author bases his novel in his own home town which he seems to love and hate in varying degrees.

The book centres around Gillespie Strang who has a finger in all the business pies of his small-town home and is powerfully driven to gain more land, more money, a bigger share of his neighbour’s possessions, and does not care how he does it. The author powerfully portrays the harsh lives of those living in the small west coast fishing port where everyone is subject to the whims of the weather, the community knowledge of every aspect of an individual’s life, and the seeming pointlessness of existence. Life in this town is definitely a vale of tears and to say it’s grim up North would be understate matters as this is a bleak representation of rural life in the period, with the only relief being the beauty of the landscape and a few drams of whisky at the end of the working day. The phrase “God Is Not Mocked” appears throughout as emphasis that the manipulative Gillespie will ultimately get his just desserts, but many others must suffer for this to happen. At times it all gets so bleak that the reader could end up finding it funny, rather like one particular section of Hardy’s “Jude The Obscure” which is just so horrific that it has been known to raise a giggle. However in this case I think this author mostly manages to avoid this problem.

It’s all so unremittingly bleak and depressing that it’s not a book to remember with any fondness and it’s not something I would read again, but I’m glad I persisted with it. It says much about the Scottish psyche for both good and bad.

Ringan Gilhaize by John Galt
I hadn’t even heard of this final novel in the package, but soon decided that it reminded me of Walter Scott’s work and could be said to cover similar ground to that author’s “The Tale of Old Mortality” which deals with similar subject matter – the 17th century Presbyterian Covenanters, a religious group who signed covenants to protect the Protestant Reformation of Scotland.

This historical novel examines religious zeal, even fanaticism, and its effects, as well as considering the Scottish psyche and what community and religious freedom mean.

I must admit to struggling with this book – I’m not a fan of Scott and had suffered through “The Tale of Old Mortality” when I had to read if for my studies. On this showing I’m not a fan of Galt either. I found the novel very slow to get going and I really had to force myself to persist as the first two-thirds of it felt like wading through treacle. It doesn’t really seem to get going until after that and then when it does, it turns from a dull treatise on church history to something very different. The two sections of the book really didn’t gel for me and I can’t say I greatly enjoyed it.

But even though I didn’t like the book, it’s really positive that it’s seeing the light of day again through this republication.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marriage – Susan Ferrier

This story starts with an extremely spoiled and petulant young woman marrying against the wishes of her family. Throughout the story her behaviour doesn’t improve if anything it gets worse, this is a woman who leaves one of her twins to be raised by a group of women that you wouldn’t ask to care for a house plant and won’t feed the other as she would rather feed her dogs.
Somehow both twins survive, although living very different lives in different countries. One twin is labelled as ‘good’ and the other ‘bad’, and of course the ‘good’ girl will get her happy ending and the ‘bad’ one will be rejected by ‘good’ society.
While I can agree with the author that marrying for money alone will make you miserable I can’t agree with her that marrying purely for love would have the same outcome, she believes that a happy marriage should combine both but that seems to imply that if you are poor then you can’t have a happy marriage. On the plus side the author does value education for women and believe that women should be equal in a marriage, that the happily ever after should go to real women instead of the one who will give up her identity to please her husband and society.


Gillespie – J. MacDougall Hay

Gillespie Strang is devious and selfish, a public benefactor and a leech. He is one of the new breed of entrepreneurs, prepared to use any and all means to fulfill his ambitions.
While the book is named for Gillespie the fishing village in which he lives is the main character. A village full of ordinary people just trying to survive – fisherman who will be extremely lucky if they live to be old men, women who have to take in laundry if they are to have any chance of feeding their children, children who stop smiling before they turn six. The community is designed to show us what it means to be human, and ultimately how insignificant humanity is in the face of nature.
The prose is too dense at times and occasionally loses the thread, and unless you are very familiar with the old Scottish dialect then a dictionary would be really useful.


Ringan Gilhaize – John Galt

This novel covers Scottish history from 1540 to 1690 as seen through the experiences of one family. While the family is fictional most of the events and other characters are real or are based on real events and people.
Ringan experiences the most turbulent era, that of the Covenant, the Commonwealth and the Reformation. We follow his development from a peaceful devout man to a blood thirsty fanatic.
The author clearly believes that this period in Scottish history will be forever represented by the conflict between the reformers or Covananters and the idol worshippers. He makes it quite clear that he believes that being a Covananter or Presbyterian is far more honourable than being Catholic or Papist.

This was incredibly well written and I would recommend it to anybody with an interest in Scottish literature or history.

[Gill Chedgey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forgotten Authors, by Susan Ferrier, J MacDougall Hay, John Galt

Forgotten no more, not by me anyway!! It was a joy to read these novels in all their Scottish diversity.

Marriage by Susan Ferrier

I loved the humour in this book along with the home truths, a poor man’s Jane Austen to be sure and too wordy overall. I think the same enjoyment could have been derived from a novel of reduced length but it remains a mystery why this book isn’t ‘up there’. Considering this is an eighteenth century novel the writing remains crisp and fresh. The characters jump out of the page at you and you love and hate them in equal measure, they are so clearly defined. There was much to be learnt about Scottish social life and the protocols of the time which I found revealing.

Gillespie by J MacDougall Hay

This was in complete contrast to Marriage a bleak tale of ruthless ambition. If there is any ‘feel good’ in the book I didn’t find it so if it is upliftment you are after avoid this book. And the Scottish dialect was often elusive to construe. I found it helped to read the book with a Scottish accent if that makes sense!!! But for all that it is a book that grips you and won’t release until you have read to the end. You carry on in the hope that there will be some salvation somewhere. But there isn’t. But I guess it is also a book of survival and prospering with your wits no matter whom you destroy in the process. In that sense it may even be seen as prophetic and contemporary! It’s a meaty book, well written and offers a grim picture of Calvinist Scotland that in some ways sends a shiver down your spine.

Ringan Gilhaize by John Galt

The final novel was my least favourite, maybe because I’m all ‘scottished’ out? I found it less accessible, more political, which seldom resonates positively with me. I think it is well written. I thought initially it was repetitive but as I progressed I realized it was a conscious device, kind of leitmotiv to emphasis the point. And I suppose the point is how belief and ideals can lead to fanaticism and even change a person’s behavior, which is food for thought for again it does pose a contemporary comparison with today’s fanaticisms.

As a suite of novels they are very diverse and are probably the tip of the iceberg when it comes to a wealth of Scottish classic fiction. Not to everyone’s taste I imagine. They were challenging reads with all the Scots dialect and idioms. The dictionary on my e reader couldn’t cope with many of the definitions but there were some lovely phrases ‘corpulent pandarus’ and I am still wondering what ‘clishmaclavers’ might be!!

I am grateful to Real Readers for giving me the chance to read these novels as I can honestly say that I would never have selected them to read in a million years! But my literary education has been enhanced by the experience.

[Northern Light · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this from Real Readers in exchange for an honest review.

It is three Scottish novels by authors who have been forgotten by most people.

MARRIAGE

This tells the story of Lady Juliana who decides to go against her family wishes and marry for love. She discovers though that her new husband plans to live in Scotland with his eccentric family which is far from the busy London society she thrives on.

I really enjoyed this book which had lots of humour and pathos combined with tragedy throughout. It would probably be difficult for a non Scot to read as it is frequently written as people spoke/speak in rural Scotland.

The main premise is whether you should marry for love or money



I did find though that by the end it was beginning to drag somewhat and the final part could have been cut down.

GILLESPIE

This book tells the story of the fishing village of Briaston and the tough lives of the people who live there and the strugles to survive.

Gillespie Strang is determined to be the main man in the village and is ruthless in his business transactions without caring for the people he may hurt along the way. His marriage is no more than convenient to his needs and his wife suffers for this.

Written in broad Scots may be a problem for some readers and I found it easier as I went on and fell it is definitely better read in Scots as written.

Although very difficult to read at times I found this book worth grappling with as although from the 19th century the truths remain the same. The characters all seem true to life and have little joy, usually due to their connections with Gillespie.

The ending is both tragic and almost inevitable but a fitting end to a book which deserves greater prominence.

Very much in the same vein as The Scots Quair by Lewis Grassic Gibbons

RINGAN GILHAIZE

The third book is much more political and as such doesn't fit as well into modern times. It tells the story of the Gilhaize family through the generations as they fight, both physically and emotionally against the Catholic establishment.

I struggled to read this book and almost gave up as it seemed to be very repetitive at times with no real respite. Surely it wasn't all doom and gloom during the time period? This is a period of time which deserves to be told but sadly I don't think this is the book to do it.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marriage by Susan Ferrier

Anonymously published in 1818, Susan Ferrier’s Marriage, is the first of her three published novels, and combines the story of a scandalous marriage, a dysfunctional family and the rich portrayal of nineteenth century life. Reminiscent of the style of Jane Austen, there is much to enjoy in the clear prose and fine attention to detail. Once I got accustomed to the overall writing style, I rather enjoyed being immersed in this long forgotten way of life. The author is adept at writing about what she knows and I would think that the social traditions she so clearly describes would have been part of her social background. It is commendable that the rise of e-publishing allows a forgotten author another chance to share their stories with a new audience.


Gillespie by J. MacDougall Hay.

The austerity of nineteenth century life is explored in this powerful novel which examines social conscience amongst the Scottish working classes. The eponymous Gillespie Strang is a ruthless and devious man, not likeable in any measure, out to fill his own pockets at the expense of the working class fishing community in which he lives.

Overall, I found the novel difficult to read, not because it was badly written, far from it, it’s a weighty tome. However, I felt that the Scottish dialect made the story difficult to scan easily and left me feeling frustrated and, I must admit, rather downhearted. Not a book to read if you dislike heavy prose, and certainly not joyous in any measure but it works as an example of nineteenth century literary fiction.



Ringan Gilhaize by John Galt.

The troubled history of Scotland’s seventeenth century Covenanters forms the basis of this novel which follows the fortunes of Ringan Gilhaize, whose religious and political conflict is explored in great detail. I found the story ponderous in the extreme and, I’m afraid it’s not one I found I could read easily or with any great enthusiasm. Throughout, I was reminded of the work of Sir Walter Scott but found that even making the comparison with Scott’s work, there was something entirely lacking for me in Ringan Gilhaize. Some works succeed in being brought alive again, sadly for me this concept didn’t work with this forgotten story.


Thanks to Real Readers for my ecopy of Scottish Forgotten Authors.