Robert Bage (1730–1801)

Robert Bage waited until he was 53 to publish his first novel and Hermsprong published fifteen year later in 1796 was his last novel and it raised eyebrows with its attack on English society and the moral turpitude of the late eighteenth century. I say raised eyebrows because the book's satire is overlayed by a romantic story that seems to be a comedy of manners with philosophical overtones, but it is meant to amuse as well as protest.

Hermsprong is a german name given to the hero of the story who had been raised in the company of American Indians or native Americans as we would say today. He returns to Europe and moves to Cornwall in England where he takes up residence in Grondale valley and is soon locking horns with Lord Grondale whose pride and prejudices cannot abide the free spirited Hermsprong. Lord Grondale's daughter the dutiful Caroline falls in love with Hermsprong and an intense battle of wills develops between him and the aristocratic Grondale. It is a battle which threatens to ruin Hermsprong, with-whom the modern reader is bound to sympathise. Bage does several things to make this story more interesting. Firstly we are not made aware of Hermsprong's upbringing until over halfway through the novel. Secondly the story is told by Mr Gregory Glen who flits in and out of the story never becoming a principal character, but always ready to interject in a way that feels like authorial intervention. Thirdly much of the dialogue is given over to discussions of radical ideas that serve to enhance the characterisations within the novel and some of this is both amusing and toe-curling.

In addition to the radical ideas of Hermsprong there is also the strong feminist arguments put forward by Maria Fluart who befriends Caroline and attempts to give her some backbone, when her father Lord Grondale insists that she obey his wishes. Maria flirts with the dissolute Grondale who is forced to stand on his dignity to the point of becoming increasingly obnoxious and finally plainly vindictive. I can't say that this really ramps up the tension because the reader will be aware that the handsome hero will win through in the end, whatever is lined up against him, because the novel is plainly a romance with barely a whiff of tragedy. If the reader is meant to feel outraged by the actions of Grondale and his sycophantic clergymen and lawyer friends then the novel has achieved it's purpose.

I enjoyed the satire which is present throughout the novel: it does owe something of a debt to Sterne's Tristram Shandy, but never achieves the noirish cutting edge wit, which is a feature of that book. Hermsprong and Maria Fluart have all the best lines here is Hermsprong giving forth at a dinner party:

"You are rich, and addicted to pleasure, to luxury. It is a consequence that has always followed wealth; and a consequence of this addiction is political carelessness, the immediate precursor of political corruption."

There is no chink in the righteous armour of Hermsprong, but Bage holds our interest by not revealing his motives, until the final denouement. The book does feel a little overlong and the court case which was perhaps included to heighten the drama feels superfluous. I am not complaining because I felt thoroughly entertained by the novel and can only guess at the consternation it might have caused some of it's readers who perhaps were more than a little disturbed by the French revolution across the channel. A good read and 3.5 stars.… (altro)