Say and Seal

by Susan Bogert Warner, Anna Bartlett Warner

It is a melancholy fact, that this book is somewhat larger than the mould into which most of the fluid fiction material is poured in this degenerate age. You perceive, good reader, that it has run over—in the latest volume. Doubtless the Procrustean critic would say, "Cut it off,"—which point we waive. The book is really of very moderate limits—considering that two women had to have their say in it. It is pleasant to wear a glove when one shakes hands with the Public; therefore we still use our ancestors' names instead of our own,—but it is fair to state, that in this case there are a pair of gloves!—Which is the right glove, and which the left, the Public will never know

1258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 1860

About the author

Born in 1819 in New York City, American novelist and children's author Susan Bogert Warner was the daughter of lawyer Henry Warner, and his wife, Anna Bartlett. Her early life was one of wealth and privilege, until her father lost his money in the Panic of 1837, and the family were forced to sell their home in St. Mark's Place (NYC), and move to a farmhouse they owned on Constitution Island, near West Point, NY.

Warner and her sister, Anna Bartlett Warner (author of the well-known children's hymn, Jesus Loves Me, This I Know), began writing in 1849, in order to improve their family's financial situation. Their work, for both children and adults, was largely evangelical. Susan Bogert Warner is primarily remembered for her debut novel, The Wide, Wide World (1850), although she wrote close to thirty additional titles, all under the pseudonym 'Elizabeth Wetherell."

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a scrumptious long read this was! Susan Warner is a long-loved author for me, but this is the first I’ve read of her sister Anna’s work. Both sisters are gravely under-appreciated these days (Susan as the first American author to sell one million copies of a book; Anna as the author of the song “Jesus Loves Me”) and I’ll definitely be looking for some of Anna’s other books.

Faith and Mr. Linden have a super-slow romance with such deep emotional moments. This book is chock-full of lessons in mature Christianity and beautiful applications (Scripture ladders is a really neat concept of building and using cross-references.) Mr. Linden is a schoolteacher who is earning a few dollars to finish his degree as a preacher and he lives up to his calling beautifully, bringing the Gospel to all the “good” folks in town who didn’t think they were sinners, but who were in need of a Saviour nonetheless. Practicing delightful Christian charity with feeding the needy and helping the disadvantaged...

It’s set in old Pattaquasset, Connecticut (which according to a Google search appears to have grown into modern Saybrook) and the local flavor is a delight.

A true gem of a story!

Listened to volume 1 on Librivox and read Volume 2 off internet Archive.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

For starters: I liked this book very much.

[Diane Ballard]

Haven't read yet, but I think this is the book that got the ball rolling for the song:
Jesus Loves Me
Will have to research and confirm.