The History of Pendennis | Page 2

failed from want of experience of my subject; and never having been
intimate with any convict in my life, and the manners of ruffians and
gaol-birds being quite unfamiliar to me, the idea of entering into
competition with M. Eugene Sue was abandoned. To describe a real
rascal, you must make him so horrible that he would be too hideous to
show; and unless the painter paints him fairly, I hold he has no right to
show him at all.
Even the gentlemen of our age--this is an attempt to describe one of
them, no better nor worse than most educated men--even these we
cannot show as they are, with the notorious foibles and selfishness of
their lives and their education. Since the author of Tom Jones was
buried, no writer of fiction among us has been permitted to depict to his
utmost power a MAN. We must drape him, and give him a certain
conventional simper. Society will not tolerate the Natural in our Art.
Many ladies have remonstrated and subscribers left me, because, in the
course of the story, I described a young man resisting and affected by
temptation.
My object was to say, that he had the passions to feel, and the
manliness and generosity to overcome them. You will not hear--it is
best to know it--what moves in the real world, what passes in society,
in the clubs, colleges, mess-rooms,--what is the life and talk of your
sons. A little more frankness than is customary has been attempted in
this story; with no bad desire on the writer's part, it is hoped, and with
no ill consequence to any reader. If truth is not always pleasant, at any
rate truth is best, from whatever chair--from those whence graver
writers or thinkers argue, as from that at which the story-teller sits as he
concludes his labour, and bids his kind reader farewell.
Kensington, Nov. 26th, 1850.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I
Shows how First Love may interrupt Breakfast II A Pedigree and other
Family Matters III In which Pendennis appears as a very young Man
indeed IV Mrs. Haller V Mrs. Haller at Home VI Contains both Love
and War VII In which the Major makes his Appearance VIII In which
Pen is kept waiting at the Door, while the Reader is informed who little
Laura was IX In which the Major opens the Campaign X Facing the
Enemy XI Negotiation XII In which a Shooting Match is proposed XIII
A Crisis XIV In which Miss Fotheringay makes a new Engagement XV
The Happy Village XVI More Storms in the Puddle XVII Which
concludes the First Part of this History XVIII Alma Mater XIX
Pendennis of Boniface XX Rake's Progress XXI Flight after Defeat
XXII Prodigal's Return XXIII New Faces XXIV A Little Innocent
XXV Contains both Love and Jealousy XXVI A House full of Visitors
XXVII Contains some Ball-practising XXVIII Which is both
Quarrelsome and Sentimental XXIX Babylon XXX The Knights of the
Temple XXXI Old and New Acquaintances XXXII In which the
Printer's Devil comes to the Door XXXIII Which is passed in the
Neighbourhood of Ludgate Hill XXXIV In which the History still
hovers about Fleet Street XXXV Dinner in the Row XXXVI The Pall
Mall Gazette XXXVII Where Pen appears in Town and Country
XXXVIII In which the Sylph reappears XXXIX In which Colonel
Altamont appears and disappears XL Relates to Mr. Harry Foker's
Affairs XLI Carries the Reader both to Richmond and Greenwich XLII
Contains a Novel Incident XLIII Alsatia XLIV In which the Colonel
narrates some of his Adventures XLV A Chapter of Conversations
XLVI Miss Amory's Partners XLVII Monseigneur s'amuse XLVIII A
Visit of Politeness XLIX In Shepherd's Inn L In or near the Temple
Garden LI The Happy Village again LII Which had very nearly been
the last of the Story LIII A Critical Chapter LIV Convalescence LV
Fanny's Occupation's gone LVI In which Fanny engages a new Medical

Man LVII Foreign Ground LVIII 'Fairoaks to let' LIX Old Friends LX
Explanations LXI Conversations LXII The Way of the World LXIII
Which accounts perhaps for Chapter LXII LXIV Phillis and Corydon
LXV Temptation LXVI In which Pen begins his Canvass LXVII In
which Pen begins to doubt about his Election LXVIII In which the
Major is bidden to Stand and Deliver LXIX In which the Major neither
yields his Money nor his Life LXX In which Pendennis counts his Eggs
LXXI Fiat Justitia LXXII In which the Decks begin to clear LXXIII Mr.
and Mrs. Sam Huxter LXXIV Shows how Arthur had better have taken
a Return Ticket LXXV A Chapter of Match-making LXXVI Exeunt
Omnes

PENDENNIS

CHAPTER I
Shows how First Love may interrupt Breakfast
One fine morning in the full London season, Major Arthur Pendennis
came over from