The Astonishing History of Troy Town

by Arthur Quiller-Couch

Arthur Quiller-Couch was a Cornish writer who often published under the pseudonym Q. "Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1900" was his most famous work. His stories have a wide range of subjects from Viking tales, satires, historical fiction, romantic adventures, tales of heroic swashbuckling, mystery and crime fiction, and sea-going adventures. The Astonishing History of Troy Town reads like a series of humorous sketches. The Table of Contents includes In which the reader is made acquainted with a state of innocence; and the meaning of the word "cumeelfo," How an admiral took one gentleman for another, and was told the day of the month, Of a blue-jerseyed man that would hoist no more bricks; and a nightcap that had no business to be where it was, Of certain lepers; and two brothers who, being much alike, loved their sister and recommended the use of globes, How an absent-minded man, that hated women, took a house by the waterside and lived therein with one servant, How certain Trojans climbed a wall out of curiosity; and of a charwoman that could give no information, Of a lady that had a musical voice, but used it to deceive, How a crew, that would sail on a washing-day, was shipwrecked: with an advertisement against women, Of a town that would laugh at the great: and how a dull company was cured by an Irish song, Of one excursion and many alarums, Of a Wesleyan minister that would improve upon nature, and thereby trained a rook to good principles, Of deterioration; and a wheelbarrow that contained unexpected things, and more.

Genres: Fiction, Classics

222 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1888

About the author

Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch was a Cornish writer, who published under the pen name of Q. He is primarily remembered for the monumental "Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1900" (later extended to 1918), and for his literary criticism. He guided the taste of many who never met him, including American writer Helene Hanff, author of 84 Charing Cross Road, its sequel, Q's Legacy, and the putatively fictional Horace Rumpole via John Mortimer, his literary amanuensis.

Reviews

[Rollie Reid · Rating 2 out of 5]

I came across the name of Arthur Quiller-Couch while watching something on the BBC, and learned that he was rather a big name in his time. When I found several free editions for Kindle, I downloaded a few of them.

Troy is a fictitious Cornish town where more than one of Q's novels take place...and yes, he wrote under the name Q. Oddly enough, he is best known and remembered for a massive volume on English Verse.

The Astonishing History of Troy Town is a very silly and somewhat convoluted novel surrounding events in Troy surrounding the arrival of a member of the gentry and his wife. The proceed to turn the town upside down, and all while covering a rather nefarious plot.

This is not great fiction, but if, as I do, you like P.G. Wodehouse, then you might also like Q.

[Alyssa Bohon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Social satire and hilarious misadventure. It reminded me of Dickens' Pickwick Papers, especially as Caleb Trotter in this bolk is almost identical to Pickwick's Sam Weller - and maybe even funnier.
-

'...This nice point in casuistry was settled for the time by his waiving claim to the small-clothes, and inserting in his old pair a patch of blue seacloth that contrasted extravagantly with the veteran stuff— so extravagantly as to compel Mr. Fogo's attention.

"Does it never strike you," he asked one day as Caleb was stooping over the wood-pile, "that the repairs in your trousers, Caleb, are a trifle emphatic? Purpureus, late qui splendeat—h'm, h'm— adsuitur pannus. I mean, in the seat of your—"

"Conscience, sir," said Caleb abruptly. "Some ties a bit o' string round the finger to help the mem'ry. I does et this way."

"Well, well, I should have thought it more apt to assist the memory of others. Still, of course, you know best."
-

(Here, from he tale of the Commodore's corpse)
"...At las', sir, they prizes open the chest an' the tin case, an' there, o' cou'se, lay th' ould man, sleepin' an' smilin' so paiceful-like he looked ha'f a Commodore an' ha'f a cherry-bun."

"I suppose you mean 'cherubim,' Caleb?" corrected Mr. Fogo.

"I s'pose I do, sir; tho' I reckon th' ould man seemed happier than he were, havin' been a 'nation scamp in hes young days, an' able to swear to the las' so's t'wud pretty nigh fetch the mortar out'n a brick wall. Hows'ever, that's not to the p'int here.

"Aw, sir, you may fancy how them poor ign'rant furriners left that Custom House. Sam told me arterwards 'twere like shellin' peas— spakin' in pinafores—"

"Metaphors," said Mr. Fogo.

"That's et—met-afores. Anyway, they jest fetched a yell, an' then went, sir. I guess Sam knawed the Spanish for 'corpse' afore they was gone. In less 'n a minnit not a pair o' coloured breeches cud you find, not ef you wanted them fancy articles ever so. Sam chuckles a bit to hissel', fas'ens down the lid so well as he cud, h'ists the Commodore aboard a wheelbarrer, an' trundles 'un off to the train..."

Simon Evers read this wonderfully on Librivox- including Caleb Trotter's speechs (which most of my family couldn't understand, but I guess I'm getting used to old British jargon), Miss Limpenny's proprieties, and the Dearloves country affabilities - https://librivox.org/history-of-troy-...

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a find. I absolutely loved this, I had no idea that Q did anything other than poetry stuff. This is funny, touching, and though I hate the word in relation to books, charming. Caleb's linguistic oddities are an absolute joy.

[Mark Rabideau · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea... too much dialect for me. I read only about 75 pages.

[Ela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cumeelfo

[Tim Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published in 1888, this version was produced in 1983 as part of the Cornish Library, 22 volumes including four works by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, alongside works by the noted Cornish and Oxford Historian A L Rowse, poets Jack Clemo and Charles Causley, EV Thompson and even a volume by the noted Victorian author Wilkie Collins.

As other reviewers have noted this is a light fiction, nothing really serious like Thomas Hardy (who also contributes a volume to the Cornish Library - A Pair of Blue Eyes), but well worth a read. Quiller-Couch is perhaps best known for editing the Oxford Book of English Verse, and his love of language and poetry is evident throughout the story.

Troy Town is clearly based on Fowey in Cornwall, where Quiller-Couch made his home, and his awareness of the local scene makes his story work. The mix of characters, homely and aloof, worker and gentry captures the reality of late Victorian life in a rural setting such as Fowey - a long way from the metropolitan heart of the nation, but influenced and affected by the fashions communicated from a distance and as a result mildly distorted by local life.

For me the standout character is Caleb Trotter. As a resident of Cornwall I can hear Cornish friends and colleagues speaking in the same way as Caleb. Even today go to a local pub in the mid-Cornwall area and you will hear people talking in the same way as Caleb. Quiller-Couch captures the essence of the Cornish voice, without overly romanticising the people.

The story contains no great tragedy, and could be regarded as a bit light weight but it retains a sense of what living in Cornwall is about. Well worth the effort of obtaining a copy and keeping to hand when it is wet and cold outside. It will bring some Cornish light and sun into a gloomy day!

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is unlikely that many people read Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch anymore, yet The Astonishing History of Troy Town - published in 1888 when he was just twenty-four - has a liveliness and enthusiasm about it which is still infectious today.

Troy Town is the thinly disguised Cornish port of Fowey, where Quiller-Couch spent most of his life. His novel pillories the town's genteel, English, middle-class society, whilst celebrating the down-to-earth wit and wisdom of the local Cornish. There is a nonsensical subplot concerning some unnecessarily devious Fenians (complete with bad Irish accents) and an improbable romance that somehow ends happily...but the main star of the book is the admirable Caleb Trotter - an endless source of bizarre phrases and curious stories. Not great literature perhaps, but still surprisingly readable.

[LadyCalico · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, humorous stories about the misadventures of eccentric characters in a Cornish small town. It was fun, definitely worth reading, and was a pleasant way to earn me a Q in an alphabetical authors challenge.

[Tam Barron]

This book was owned by Mrs Lethbridge...who leant it to my father Robert Barron in 1962.
He was a bit lost for a name for his new baby girl. So, I am Tamsin, to my family, Tamsin Dearlove.

My grandfather had a studio/printers in Fowey, called Idyll Studios. He died of the flu in 1924.

I love this book, Q captured the sense of humour that used to pervade the Westcountry. The "uneducated" locals, being even more naive, for the benefit of the "educated" people.

I still remember my Dad laughing about the emmets (ants) coming down in summer and leaning in to a not passing car (traffic jams) with a caravan on the back, asking if the grokels (snails) would like a sup of tea. In his broadest Devonian accent. They wound the windows up and stared straight ahead!

I know this is not really relevant, but...I hope it makes you smile..Q would have liked that.