A Picture From Life: or, the History of Emma Tankerville and Sir Henry Moreton. By Henry Whitfield, M.A.
Author Details
Surname:Whitfield
First Names:Henry
Gender:Female
Anonymous:No
Publication Details
Publisher:Pritned for S. Highley.
Place:London
Date:1804
Novel Details
Genre:Courtship; didactic/moralising; Gothic; satirical
Setting:London; Newmarket; Vienna
Period:Contemporary
Plot
At the heart of the 'plot' is the romance between the virtuous, pious, benevolent and beautiful Emma Tankerville and her selfless, charming, brave suitor, Henry Moreton. They meet at the beginning of the book and fall in love, but Henry has to escape to Vienna to avoid repercussions after he wounds his love rival in a duel to defend the honour of Emma. Emma and Henry meet again in Vienna in the penultimate chapter, and are living in blissful domestic harmony with their daughters by the end of the last chapter. The intervening chapters are an eclectic melange of character sketches, satirical interludes, moral dissertations and other disconnected - or tangentially connected - stretches of authorial commentary.
Overview of the Dialect
Quite a few characters have some kind of idiolect, mostly as a result of the satirical bent of the novel. There is an amusing French accent/language in Vol 1 (Facile) and some Greek and Latin when Dr Anapest is introduced at beginning of Vol 2. Several of the more caricatured characters have italicised nonstandard language.
Speaker #1:Facile - Valet de chambre
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Valet de chambre
Gender:Male
Age:Adult - unspecified age
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Peripheral
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Metalanguage, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling
Social Role
Social Role Description:Valet de chambre
Social Role Category:Servant
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:France
Place of Origin Category:France
Extract #1 dialect features: Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Metalanguage, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling
The obsequious foreigner in an instant made his appearance; his principal merit and utility were speaking the French language and broken English so as scarcely to be understood.
[some narrative omitted]
The following dialogue commenced between the master and his valet.
The honourable Mr. Pellet. Facile, are there any letters for me?"
Facile. "Oui, Monsieur, (with the lowest bow, giving the right honourable Mr. Pellet a letter) the honourable Monsieur Thomas Vortex has sent dis note for you."
[some narrative omitted]
Facile. "There have beside called on you, Monsieur (bowing) de tailleur, two jockies un marchand, qui vend du vin , Monsieur Soleil, un jeweller, Monsieur Did**ot, un opera dancer, Monsieur Issachar, the great broker, qui est ver rich."
The honourable Mr. Pellet. "Very well, my good Facile. Honest Issachar is a d.....d good sort of fellow. He is the lily."
Facile. "Ah, mon Dieu! mais Monsieur , (emphatically shrugging up his shoulders) mais Monsieur (smiling, and putting his hand to his breast) une demoiselle charmante, tres belle , com this evening, she says dat she love you, that she, en verite , adore you, enfin elle dit que vous etes barbare, ingrat , and dat she will be ver inconsolable."
The honourable Mr. Pellet. "Adorable creature! but if I hear a tittle of French from you, I'll break every bone in your skin."
Facile. "Maamselle look ver pretty, Sar ."
The honourable Mr. Pellet. "You French devil, fetch my masquerade dress."
Facile. "Ah vous etes toujours gai, Monsieur, toujours plaisant, just like one Frenchman exactement ."
The honourable Mr. Pellet. "None of your jabbering, Sir, depechez vous and be d.....d."
Facile. "I fly en verite , Sar , I fly, (scraping very low on the ground, and hobbling out of the room) ma foi! peste! le diable (muttering to himself) dis corn does plaguy me so, I must pay one visit to M. Gardiner, who has cured de Duchess of Rigadoon's pieds ."
The honourable Mr. Pellet. "What is that you say, you old fool?" (shoving him violently out of the room.)
Facile. (returns and makes a low bow) "I have de honour of having received one big push from you, Sar . I am ver oblige, Sar , ver , ver much oblige indeed."
(Vol. 1,p. 33-36)[some narrative omitted]
The following dialogue commenced between the master and his valet.
The honourable Mr. Pellet. Facile, are there any letters for me?"
Facile. "Oui, Monsieur, (with the lowest bow, giving the right honourable Mr. Pellet a letter) the honourable Monsieur Thomas Vortex has sent dis note for you."
[some narrative omitted]
Facile. "There have beside called on you, Monsieur (bowing) de tailleur, two jockies un marchand, qui vend du vin , Monsieur Soleil, un jeweller, Monsieur Did**ot, un opera dancer, Monsieur Issachar, the great broker, qui est ver rich."
The honourable Mr. Pellet. "Very well, my good Facile. Honest Issachar is a d.....d good sort of fellow. He is the lily."
Facile. "Ah, mon Dieu! mais Monsieur , (emphatically shrugging up his shoulders) mais Monsieur (smiling, and putting his hand to his breast) une demoiselle charmante, tres belle , com this evening, she says dat she love you, that she, en verite , adore you, enfin elle dit que vous etes barbare, ingrat , and dat she will be ver inconsolable."
The honourable Mr. Pellet. "Adorable creature! but if I hear a tittle of French from you, I'll break every bone in your skin."
Facile. "Maamselle look ver pretty, Sar ."
The honourable Mr. Pellet. "You French devil, fetch my masquerade dress."
Facile. "Ah vous etes toujours gai, Monsieur, toujours plaisant, just like one Frenchman exactement ."
The honourable Mr. Pellet. "None of your jabbering, Sir, depechez vous and be d.....d."
Facile. "I fly en verite , Sar , I fly, (scraping very low on the ground, and hobbling out of the room) ma foi! peste! le diable (muttering to himself) dis corn does plaguy me so, I must pay one visit to M. Gardiner, who has cured de Duchess of Rigadoon's pieds ."
The honourable Mr. Pellet. "What is that you say, you old fool?" (shoving him violently out of the room.)
Facile. (returns and makes a low bow) "I have de honour of having received one big push from you, Sar . I am ver oblige, Sar , ver , ver much oblige indeed."
Speaker #2:John - Servant
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Servant
Gender:Male
Age:Adult - middle aged
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Peripheral
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
Social Role
Social Role Description:Servant
Social Role Category:Servant
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Unspecified, but presumably England
Place of Origin Category:England
Extract #1 dialect features: Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
"Greater fools than I first thought them," said John; "for my part, I would never fight about a female, who changes her mind as often as the weathercock points different ways."
" Ah, John," said Nanny smartly, "you forget the time when you and Tummus , our coachman, had stripped to fight about me, because I know who was jealous. Don't you recollect, John, when I came between you, and parted you; and yet it was a duced hard matter to make you put your clothes on and sit quiet , John, you know it was; and who, pray, was the fool then? Don't I recollect, Tummus telling you that your forks were so dirty, that a man might ride to Rumford on them, and that you were always the fiddle of the company?"
"No matter of that, " said John; "why don't they fight with fistes ? a bloody nose, or a blow in the bread-basket , is all they would get then; but here, dang it , Nanny, the very thoughts of it makes one's blood run cold: gemmen , who ought to know better, as having larning , will fight with barking irons or cold steel . Curse those barking irons , I cannot bear them; they suit thieves or pirates, but gemmen to fight with barking irons as they do, Nanny, is heathenish
(Vol. 1,p. 80-81)" Ah, John," said Nanny smartly, "you forget the time when you and Tummus , our coachman, had stripped to fight about me, because I know who was jealous. Don't you recollect, John, when I came between you, and parted you; and yet it was a duced hard matter to make you put your clothes on and sit quiet , John, you know it was; and who, pray, was the fool then? Don't I recollect, Tummus telling you that your forks were so dirty, that a man might ride to Rumford on them, and that you were always the fiddle of the company?"
"No matter of that, " said John; "why don't they fight with fistes ? a bloody nose, or a blow in the bread-basket , is all they would get then; but here, dang it , Nanny, the very thoughts of it makes one's blood run cold: gemmen , who ought to know better, as having larning , will fight with barking irons or cold steel . Curse those barking irons , I cannot bear them; they suit thieves or pirates, but gemmen to fight with barking irons as they do, Nanny, is heathenish
Speaker #3:Bailiff - Bailiff
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Bailiff
Gender:Male
Age:Adult - unspecified age
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Peripheral
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Contraction, Vocabulary
Social Role
Social Role Description:Bailiff
Social Role Category:Professional
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Unspecified, but presumably England
Place of Origin Category:England
Extract #1 dialect features: Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Contraction, Vocabulary
" Why as to the matter of that," answered the betteer looking of the two, though a regard to truth compels me to say that both of them wore the appearance of felons rather than officers who served his Majesty's court, "I am good-natured enough when there's a bit coming forward , but provisions, as my fellow officer Dick says, are so dear now a-days, that let a man be ever so industrious, I defies him to get an honest living, and pay every man his due. For my part, I pays as I goes , and therefore I can't , in justice, do you see, Miss Tankerville, afford to lose. Times are main ticklish , as brother Dick says; but, howsomever, tho' I can't take your bail, I would go a mile to oblige you, Miss. You are such a handsome, fine young lady, and withal look so good humoured."
(Vol. 1,p. 114-15)Speaker #4:Doctor Anapest - Scholar
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Doctor Anapest
Gender:Male
Age:Adult - unspecified age
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Minor
Dialect Features:Metalanguage, Orthographical Respelling
Social Role
Social Role Description:Scholar
Social Role Category:Professional
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Unspecified, but presumably England
Place of Origin Category:England
Extract #1 dialect features: Metalanguage
Speakers: All , Doctor Anapest
Bred up at a public school, doctor Anapest had distinguished himself for his knowledge of classics at an early age. He could trace a verb through all the simples, compounds, primitives, conjugations, dialects, paradigms, tenses, and moods. It was on account of his wonderful sagacity and profound skill in etymology, that he had acquired from his comrades the distinguished name of Walking Lexicon.
(Vol. 2,p. 11-12)Speakers: All , Doctor Anapest
His shoemaker and taylor spoke of him as a man of vast larning , and a great scholard , take their words for it.
(Vol. 2,p. 13)Extract #3 dialect features: Metalanguage
"How do you do, doctor?" said the former lady.
"Suaviter ut nunc est, domina, atque omnia quae vis."
"Cannot you contrive, good doctor, to translate the Latin in which you are such an adept, for the benefit of unlearned females," answered Emma
(Vol. 2,p. 16)"Suaviter ut nunc est, domina, atque omnia quae vis."
"Cannot you contrive, good doctor, to translate the Latin in which you are such an adept, for the benefit of unlearned females," answered Emma
Speaker #5:Sally - Chambermaid in Inn
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Maid
Gender:Female
Age:Adult - unspecified age
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Peripheral
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling
Social Role
Social Role Description:Chambermaid in Inn
Social Role Category:Servant
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Assumed local to Newmarket, but this is not specified in text
Place of Origin Category:Newmarket, Suffolk, South East England, England
Extract #1 dialect features: Discourse Marker, Grammar, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling
"Ay, but I know you are all base men, O dear sir, do , I must entreat of you, be quiet. Mercy on me, how you pull me about! I shall be very angry, 'pon honour."
Pellet, who knew that Philip of Macedon had subdued states with gold, that Jupiter in a golden shower had wooed the daughter of the wary Acrisius to his embraces; that its efficacy had been successfully tried in all nations, and by characters of every description; now essayed what all-powerful bribery would effect.
"Is it true that you love me, sir," sighed Sally, as she caught a transient view of the gold in his hand. "Well then, I vows and purtests , I thinks you, sir, a very, very handsome gentleman."
(Vol. 2,p. 57-58)Pellet, who knew that Philip of Macedon had subdued states with gold, that Jupiter in a golden shower had wooed the daughter of the wary Acrisius to his embraces; that its efficacy had been successfully tried in all nations, and by characters of every description; now essayed what all-powerful bribery would effect.
"Is it true that you love me, sir," sighed Sally, as she caught a transient view of the gold in his hand. "Well then, I vows and purtests , I thinks you, sir, a very, very handsome gentleman."
Speaker #6:English commander - Ship's commander
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:English commander
Gender:Male
Age:Adult - unspecified age
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Minor
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Metalanguage, Orthographical Contraction, Vocabulary
Social Role
Social Role Description:Ship's commander
Social Role Category:Military
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:
Place of Origin Category:England
Extract #1 dialect features: Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Metalanguage, Orthographical Contraction, Vocabulary
Speakers: All , English commander
When sir Henry and his friends reached Vienna, the English commander would force them to his lodgings; and, in the course of the evening, and so elevated at his late exploit, or as he properly called it, coup-de-main , that, with a view of paying deserved honour to it, he made them as drunk, he said, "as he ever loved to see his messmates." "Damn all palaver," added this son of the waves, " it don't matter a rope's end, or argufy a rummer of grog , if a man has a good tough oaken heart, what his outside is. There's that Lionel, a pretty youth, and though he looks all the world like a milk-sop , or one who never crossed the line , is as brave a fellow as the Isle ever produced. Come, give us your fist--a hearty good shake, young man. Here's not a dry soul on board; we all of us love good cheer; drink, sir, 'Success to Old England,' and fill again, signors. There's nothing like travelling; if it had not been for that, I should not have seen the coast of Holland, Aboukir, Copenhagen castle, or passed the gut of Gibraltar. Travelling clears our minds from all prejudice; and an English sailor is like his own ship--tight, and made of oak, plenty of hold in him, and, thank God, open to all nations but our enemies; and when we have beat them into a little sound reason, why then we parley vous as well as the best of them ; aye, and are on good terms with Mounseer , as we are with Italian, german, spaniard, or Dutchman. Who would have supposed we should have seen a Dutchman frenchified?
(Vol. 2,p. 133-35)Speaker #7:Mr Snug - Tradesman and usurer
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Tradesman
Gender:Male
Age:Adult - middle aged
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Peripheral
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Metalanguage, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
Social Role
Social Role Description:Tradesman and usurer
Social Role Category:Trade or craft
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:London
Place of Origin Category:London, South East England, England
Extract #1 dialect features: Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Metalanguage, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
He could scarcely write intelligibly his own name, set all rules of grammar at defiance, breaking Priscian's and even Lowth's head most cruelly. He conceived, in his wisdom, that the use of musty proverbs and wise saws displayed a degree of knowledge superior to the generality of the world. His manners were blunt, his actions unpolished; and though frequently his phraseology was "Sir, and madam, if you please; I am highly obliged to you; will you please to have any of this, or would you possibly choose that; in what shall I serve you, sir, or madam;"--it was evident that this language arose from custom, and was the language of his shop.
"Gentlemen," said this man, who was about five feet one inch in height, and potbellied, dressed in a complete suit of the same cloth, "gentlemen, I begs pardon. It is werry , werry warm. I sweats like a town-bull, I declare," wiping his forehead; "my face is all a muck , and yet, upon my credit, I only walked a snail's pace from my house in Prospect-place, Newington, t'other side of the water. Ah, there's a number of warm men lives there; none of your wishy-washy skip-jack colonels, your spendthrift members of the parliament-house; many worth half a plum, some worth a whole one; gemini , they are warm fellows; they are your good men; men who can well afford to pay the old woman nine-pence, aye , and can afford to keep horses though they do eat of nights." This last remark was uttered with a look of profound sagacity.
(Vol. 2,p. 147)"Gentlemen," said this man, who was about five feet one inch in height, and potbellied, dressed in a complete suit of the same cloth, "gentlemen, I begs pardon. It is werry , werry warm. I sweats like a town-bull, I declare," wiping his forehead; "my face is all a muck , and yet, upon my credit, I only walked a snail's pace from my house in Prospect-place, Newington, t'other side of the water. Ah, there's a number of warm men lives there; none of your wishy-washy skip-jack colonels, your spendthrift members of the parliament-house; many worth half a plum, some worth a whole one; gemini , they are warm fellows; they are your good men; men who can well afford to pay the old woman nine-pence, aye , and can afford to keep horses though they do eat of nights." This last remark was uttered with a look of profound sagacity.
Extract #2 dialect features: Discourse Marker, Grammar, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
"May-hap, Mr. Bergamot, you do not like the cut of my coat; though it was not made by a parley woo francais , it is of good cloth; aye , as good as ever came out of a tradesman's shop. I bought it of a near neighbour of mine, enough to make me a whole suit. Zooks , how you stare, just like a stuck pig. I shan't eat you, sir, so don't be afraid. Why, sir, you have a countenance sour enough to turn all the small beer in the cellar;" winking to the company. " What's look now-a-days. Pride rides in coaches, and honesty is content to take up with the ten-toe stage ."
(Vol. 2,p. 150)Extract #3 dialect features: Discourse Marker, Grammar, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
"Oddsbuds! I, for my part, likes sweet things." "Will you have some of these rabbits?" said the giver of the feast. "Shall I help you, Mr. Snug, to a wing?"
"Aye, a wing and a part of the back, and plenty of onion sauce. None of your Wauxhall bits for me. I says a wing. If people, sir, don't take care of themselves now-a-days, I don't know, for my part, what's to become of them."
(Vol. 2,p. 156)"Aye, a wing and a part of the back, and plenty of onion sauce. None of your Wauxhall bits for me. I says a wing. If people, sir, don't take care of themselves now-a-days, I don't know, for my part, what's to become of them."