Chronicles of an Illustrious House; or the Peer, the Lawyer, and the Hunchback. A Novel. In five volumes.
Author Details
Surname:Hatton
First Names:Anne Julia Kemble
Gender:Female
Anonymous:No
Publication Details
Publisher:Printed at the Minerva Press for A.K. Newman and Co. Leadenhall-Street.
Place:London
Date:1816
Novel Details
Genre:Courtship; domestic; manners/society
Setting:Country village (Hannington)
Period:Contemporary
Plot
Very complex interwoven narrative over 5 large volumes, with a huge cast of characters and an unusually great number of coincidences. The opening chapter, which concerns Captain Auberley and Montague, finds them in a pawnbroker's shop where they meet a young girl selling a gold cross to support her mother in her illness. On enquiring after the mother, the pair find her being evicted, so set her up in lodgings. She turns out to be Montague's mother. Equally unlikely, is the tale of the twin brothers: Montague has a twin brother, Cecil, who is very poor but industrious. Cecil has always believed he had a twin brother, but that he was a hunchback (i.e. not Montague). Later, a hunchback turns up, and it seems he may well be Cecil's brother. Amazing coincidences aside, this is a very heavily-populated novel with numerous digressions, some very unpleasant characters (the Earl, Montague's father, and Montague himself, who is a gamester, and who refuses to acknowledge his newly-discovered twin brother because he is vulgar). Having lost his fortune, Montague resolves to marry an equally 'vulgar' character because she has a great deal of money.
Overview of the Dialect
Many characters who speak either non-standard English or some kind of dialect. Of particular interest is the 'twins separated at birth' strand, where one is a StE speaker and the other speaks with very marked dialect. Also, the wife-to-be of Montague is seen to be a non-standard speaker and functionally illiterate. Landlady, bystanders, servants etc all have dialogue marked for non-standardness or dialect.
Speaker #1:Lucy Harrowby - Child
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Lucy
Gender:Female
Age:Child
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Minor
Social Role
Social Role Description:Child
Social Role Category:Respectable poor
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Unspecified, but presumably England
Place of Origin Category:England
Speakers: All , Lucy Harrowby
"Indeed, indeed, sir, it is real true gold ," replied the supplicating girl; "and if it was not for mother being sick with the ague, and not being able to do a stroke of work, she would not part with it out of her own sight for the world."
[dialogue omitted]
"Kneel before that!" rejoined the girl; "what for, I wonder? no, not I; what good would that do? I never goes upon my knees but at church and when I scrubs a floor: but pray, sir, be quick, and let me have the money, for mother is in great distress."
(Vol. 1,p. 12-13)[dialogue omitted]
"Kneel before that!" rejoined the girl; "what for, I wonder? no, not I; what good would that do? I never goes upon my knees but at church and when I scrubs a floor: but pray, sir, be quick, and let me have the money, for mother is in great distress."
Speaker #2:Molly Mitcham - Individual
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Bystander
Gender:Female
Age:Adult - unspecified age
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Peripheral
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom
Social Role
Social Role Description:
Social Role Category:Respectable poor
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Unspecified, but presumably England
Place of Origin Category:England
Speakers: All , Molly Mitcham
"Lucy Harrowby did not turn out for nothing, sure enough. Well , who would have thought of her getting into keeping at once? Some folks are born to luck, while other folks as works hard for a living never meets with a friend. See what a pretty face can do."
(Vol. 1,p. 25)Speaker #3:Crispin Parkins - Cobbler
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Crispin
Gender:Male
Age:Adult - unspecified age
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Central
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
Social Role
Social Role Description:Cobbler
Social Role Category:Trade or craft
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 Respelling, Vocabulary
"What a murrain ailds thee now!" said his helpmate; "the broth is good, mun , and relishsome , though, mayhap , not so dainty like as the gentleman-brother's dinner at the ind ; troth , I thinks he mout have axed we go up to the Nantelope along with him; but then I supposes as how we been't grand anough - we was not dressed fine anough to sit down to dine with he and tother man."
Crispin's mind was full of similar notions, but he judged it expedient not to express them; he also reflected, that ever since the day of his marriage, the grey mare had been the better horse, and he considered this the very proper moment to put on the curb-bridle-- "Go fetch my Sunday coat," he said gruffly, "and my best hat."
"What the witch do you mean, Crispin?" asked she; " Well , to be sure, you wants your Sunday clothes to go a-idling in; by my troth , I thinks your everyday jacket will do mightily well."
"None of thy disputements ," replied Crispin; "go fatch my things; plague on thee for a brawling jade! I has had the length of that saucy tongue of thine long anough , of all reason; I be quite tired on it, I can tell thee ; and so, dost hear, Peg, once for all, go thee , without no more rumpus , and bring my Sunday coat and my bettermost hat, or, by gom , thee sha't surely have a taste of my strap! "
(Vol. 1,p. 146-7)Crispin's mind was full of similar notions, but he judged it expedient not to express them; he also reflected, that ever since the day of his marriage, the grey mare had been the better horse, and he considered this the very proper moment to put on the curb-bridle-- "Go fetch my Sunday coat," he said gruffly, "and my best hat."
"What the witch do you mean, Crispin?" asked she; " Well , to be sure, you wants your Sunday clothes to go a-idling in; by my troth , I thinks your everyday jacket will do mightily well."
"None of thy disputements ," replied Crispin; "go fatch my things; plague on thee for a brawling jade! I has had the length of that saucy tongue of thine long anough , of all reason; I be quite tired on it, I can tell thee ; and so, dost hear, Peg, once for all, go thee , without no more rumpus , and bring my Sunday coat and my bettermost hat, or, by gom , thee sha't surely have a taste of my strap! "
Extract #2 dialect features: Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
"Two words to that bargain," returned the cobler; "what dost want to sit with men folk and get fuddled ? No, Peg, a wife should be like to a snail, always have her house a-top on her back."
" I wishes thee hadst it a-top on thine ," retorted she; "I dare to say as how they will be drinking wind ; Lord, I should like a little, tiny sup! I never tasted wind , as I knows on , in all my born days; do now, Crisp'n, let I dress myself in my Sunday clothes too; I longs to taste the wind ."
"Don't you give your mind to drinking, Peg," said the cobler; "for a woman as gets drunk is worser nor an old sow."
(Vol. 1,p. 149-50)" I wishes thee hadst it a-top on thine ," retorted she; "I dare to say as how they will be drinking wind ; Lord, I should like a little, tiny sup! I never tasted wind , as I knows on , in all my born days; do now, Crisp'n, let I dress myself in my Sunday clothes too; I longs to taste the wind ."
"Don't you give your mind to drinking, Peg," said the cobler; "for a woman as gets drunk is worser nor an old sow."
Extract #3 dialect features: Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
Speakers: All , Crispin Parkins
Mr. Montague, eager to get rid of his vulgar relation, asked if he had concluded on the means in which he might be serviceable to him?
" Why , ay , I has turned it about in my head, to be sartin ," replied Crispin; "but though I be agreed on the matter, why , it can come to nothing if so be as you cries off."
"Do not fear that I shall withdraw," said Henry, "from any reasonable proposition."
"As to reason," resumed the cobler, " there be reasons so big as plums in it; but belike as you may think as the expence"--
"Name it," said Henry, eager to bring the business to a conclusion.
" Why , for all I be but a cobler, you must know, mun --sir, brother, I means , I can make a pretty tightish shoe, and should not be feared, saving your presence, to venture at a boot; now, I has a hugeous fancy to take a shop, and try my luck; and if so be as you would find a little matter of money to buy a stock of leather, and just to set a body a-going like ."
"A good plan," said Mr Northington; "and in conformity with the old adage, 'shoemaker, stick to your last;' I see wisdom in this scheme."
(Vol. 1,p. 154-5)" Why , ay , I has turned it about in my head, to be sartin ," replied Crispin; "but though I be agreed on the matter, why , it can come to nothing if so be as you cries off."
"Do not fear that I shall withdraw," said Henry, "from any reasonable proposition."
"As to reason," resumed the cobler, " there be reasons so big as plums in it; but belike as you may think as the expence"--
"Name it," said Henry, eager to bring the business to a conclusion.
" Why , for all I be but a cobler, you must know, mun --sir, brother, I means , I can make a pretty tightish shoe, and should not be feared, saving your presence, to venture at a boot; now, I has a hugeous fancy to take a shop, and try my luck; and if so be as you would find a little matter of money to buy a stock of leather, and just to set a body a-going like ."
"A good plan," said Mr Northington; "and in conformity with the old adage, 'shoemaker, stick to your last;' I see wisdom in this scheme."
Speaker #4:Margery Parkins - Wife of cobbler
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Peg - wife of cobbler
Gender:Female
Age:Adult - unspecified age
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Significant
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
Social Role
Social Role Description:Wife of cobbler
Social Role Category:Trade or craft
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 Respelling, Vocabulary
"What a murrain ailds thee now!" said his helpmate; "the broth is good, mun , and relishsome , though, mayhap , not so dainty like as the gentleman-brother's dinner at the ind ; troth , I thinks he mout have axed we go up to the Nantelope along with him; but then I supposes as how we been't grand anough - we was not dressed fine anough to sit down to dine with he and tother man."
Crispin's mind was full of similar notions, but he judged it expedient not to express them; he also reflected, that ever since the day of his marriage, the grey mare had been the better horse, and he considered this the very proper moment to put on the curb-bridle-- "Go fetch my Sunday coat," he said gruffly, "and my best hat."
"What the witch do you mean, Crispin?" asked she; " Well , to be sure, you wants your Sunday clothes to go a-idling in; by my troth , I thinks your everyday jacket will do mightily well."
"None of thy disputements ," replied Crispin; "go fatch my things; plague on thee for a brawling jade! I has had the length of that saucy tongue of thine long anough , of all reason; I be quite tired on it, I can tell thee ; and so, dost hear, Peg, once for all, go thee , without no more rumpus , and bring my Sunday coat and my bettermost hat, or, by gom , thee sha't surely have a taste of my strap! "
(Vol. 1,p. 146-7)Crispin's mind was full of similar notions, but he judged it expedient not to express them; he also reflected, that ever since the day of his marriage, the grey mare had been the better horse, and he considered this the very proper moment to put on the curb-bridle-- "Go fetch my Sunday coat," he said gruffly, "and my best hat."
"What the witch do you mean, Crispin?" asked she; " Well , to be sure, you wants your Sunday clothes to go a-idling in; by my troth , I thinks your everyday jacket will do mightily well."
"None of thy disputements ," replied Crispin; "go fatch my things; plague on thee for a brawling jade! I has had the length of that saucy tongue of thine long anough , of all reason; I be quite tired on it, I can tell thee ; and so, dost hear, Peg, once for all, go thee , without no more rumpus , and bring my Sunday coat and my bettermost hat, or, by gom , thee sha't surely have a taste of my strap! "
Extract #2 dialect features: Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
"Two words to that bargain," returned the cobler; "what dost want to sit with men folk and get fuddled ? No, Peg, a wife should be like to a snail, always have her house a-top on her back."
" I wishes thee hadst it a-top on thine ," retorted she; "I dare to say as how they will be drinking wind ; Lord, I should like a little, tiny sup! I never tasted wind , as I knows on , in all my born days; do now, Crisp'n, let I dress myself in my Sunday clothes too; I longs to taste the wind ."
"Don't you give your mind to drinking, Peg," said the cobler; "for a woman as gets drunk is worser nor an old sow."
(Vol. 1,p. 149-50)" I wishes thee hadst it a-top on thine ," retorted she; "I dare to say as how they will be drinking wind ; Lord, I should like a little, tiny sup! I never tasted wind , as I knows on , in all my born days; do now, Crisp'n, let I dress myself in my Sunday clothes too; I longs to taste the wind ."
"Don't you give your mind to drinking, Peg," said the cobler; "for a woman as gets drunk is worser nor an old sow."
Speaker #5:Mr Dip - Tallow-chandler
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Mr Dip
Gender:Male
Age:Adult - middle aged
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Significant
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
Social Role
Social Role Description:Tallow-chandler
Social Role Category:Trade or craft
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:London
Place of Origin Category:London, South East England, England
Mrs. Dip, with a terrible frown, trod on his toe, saying-- "How often must you be told never to mention a word about old times! Nobody that pretends to gentility ever remembers anything above six months."
"That's the reason they forget to pay their debts," replied the incorrigible tallow-chandler; " comicle enough, that being genteel should make folks have short memories; why, I recollect ever since I was a little boy, and used to clean shoes for the servants at the Hall--"
"I wish you were at the Hall now," interrupted his wife, in an angry tone; "for there is no such thing as learning you good manners or polite behaviour, let folks take ever such trouble ."
(Vol. 2,p. 90)"That's the reason they forget to pay their debts," replied the incorrigible tallow-chandler; " comicle enough, that being genteel should make folks have short memories; why, I recollect ever since I was a little boy, and used to clean shoes for the servants at the Hall--"
"I wish you were at the Hall now," interrupted his wife, in an angry tone; "for there is no such thing as learning you good manners or polite behaviour, let folks take ever such trouble ."
Extract #2 dialect features: Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
"You can tell them," said Mrs. Dip, "that we keep a grand carriage."
" Ay," said Mr. Dip, "and that we can afford to invite them to a galler . Though I only came into town this morning, I have diskivered the folks here have no great liking towards us Lunnuners ."
(Vol. 2,p. 88)" Ay," said Mr. Dip, "and that we can afford to invite them to a galler . Though I only came into town this morning, I have diskivered the folks here have no great liking towards us Lunnuners ."
Speaker #6:Mrs Dip - Wife of tallow chandler
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Mrs Dip
Gender:Female
Age:Adult - middle aged
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Minor
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
Social Role
Social Role Description:Wife of tallow chandler
Social Role Category:Trade or craft
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:London
Place of Origin Category:London, South East England, England
Mrs. Dip, with a terrible frown, trod on his toe, saying-- "How often must you be told never to mention a word about old times! Nobody that pretends to gentility ever remembers anything above six months."
"That's the reason they forget to pay their debts," replied the incorrigible tallow-chandler; " comicle enough, that being genteel should make folks have short memories; why, I recollect ever since I was a little boy, and used to clean shoes for the servants at the Hall--"
"I wish you were at the Hall now," interrupted his wife, in an angry tone; "for there is no such thing as learning you good manners or polite behaviour, let folks take ever such trouble ."
(Vol. 2,p. 90)"That's the reason they forget to pay their debts," replied the incorrigible tallow-chandler; " comicle enough, that being genteel should make folks have short memories; why, I recollect ever since I was a little boy, and used to clean shoes for the servants at the Hall--"
"I wish you were at the Hall now," interrupted his wife, in an angry tone; "for there is no such thing as learning you good manners or polite behaviour, let folks take ever such trouble ."
Extract #2 dialect features: Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
"You can tell them," said Mrs. Dip, "that we keep a grand carriage."
" Ay," said Mr. Dip, "and that we can afford to invite them to a galler . Though I only came into town this morning, I have diskivered the folks here have no great liking towards us Lunnuners ."
(Vol. 2,p. 88)" Ay," said Mr. Dip, "and that we can afford to invite them to a galler . Though I only came into town this morning, I have diskivered the folks here have no great liking towards us Lunnuners ."
Speaker #7:Miss Dip - Daughter of tallow-chandler
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Miss Dip
Gender:Female
Age:Adult - young
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Minor
Dialect Features:Grammar, Orthographical Respelling
Social Role
Social Role Description:Daughter of tallow-chandler
Social Role Category:Trade or craft
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:London
Place of Origin Category:London, South East England, England
"You must know, my lady," said Miss Dip, " I has got a sweetheart of my own choosing down at home in our village--a nice, fresh-coloured, pretty young man; quite another sort of person to this here Lord Lindermere, I promise you, and he loves me as dear as I do him."
"Are you certain of that?" asked Lady Helen, seriously.
"Yes, my ladiship ," resumed she, " I be quite sure of it; we be sworn together a-top on the Bible;
(Vol. 5,p. 60-1)"Are you certain of that?" asked Lady Helen, seriously.
"Yes, my ladiship ," resumed she, " I be quite sure of it; we be sworn together a-top on the Bible;
Speaker #8:Old woman - Servant
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Old woman
Gender:Female
Age:Adult - elderly
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Peripheral
Dialect Features:Grammar, Idiom, 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
An old woman at last appeared, whom the lawyer ordered to call in a physician immediately; the woman replied-- "The surgeon who chopped off the captain's leg said as how he should come no more , till he knowed who was to pay him for trouble and tendance ; and to tell you the truth, sir, I thinks a drop of wind , or gin, or some sitch nourishment as that, would do him more good nor all the potecaries , who powers down the throats of sick foke stuff and slops just as bad as pison ."
(Vol. 5,p. 199)