The Heir of Redclyffe

The Heir of Redclyffe, published in 1853, was the first of Charlotte M. Yonge's bestselling romantic novels. Its religious tone is derived from the High Church background of her family and from her friendship with a leading figure in the Oxford Movement, John Keble, who closely supervised the writing of the book. The germ of its plot was suggested by her friend Marianne Dyson. According to J. B. Priestley The Heir of Redclyffe was "the most popular novel of the whole age…Its popularity left Dickens and Thackeray far behind." Synopsis The Heir of Redclyffe tells the story of Guy Morville, heir to the Redclyffe estate and baronetcy, and his cousin Philip Morville, a conceited hypocrite who enjoys an unwarrantedly high reputation, and of the two sisters whom they love, Amabel and Laura. When Guy raises money to secretly pay off the debts of his blackguard uncle, Philip spreads the rumour that Guy is a reckless gambler. As a result Guy's proposed marriage to Amabel (Amy), who is his guardian's daughter, is called off and he is disowned by his guardian. Guy bears the situation with a new-found Christian fortitude until the uncle clears his character, enabling him to marry Amy after all. They honeymoon in Italy, finding Philip there suffering from a life-threatening fever. Guy nurses him back to health, but catches the fever himself and dies. Philip, transformed by contrition, inherits Redclyffe and marries Laura. Amy has a daughter after her husband's death and says she is happy in her Christian faith and with her daughter. Readership and critical reception