He That Will Not When He May

by Mrs. Oliphant

Excerpt from He That Will Not When He May
The Easter holidays were drawing near an end, and the family at Markham Chase had fallen into a state of existence somewhat different from its usual dignified completeness of life. When I say that the head of the house was Sir William Markham, once Under-Secretary for the Colonies, once President of the Board of Trade, and still, though in opposition, a distinguished member of his party and an important public personage, it is scarcely necessary to add that his house was one of the chief houses in the county, and that "the best people" were to be found there, especially at those times when fashionable gatherings take place in the country. At Easter the party was of the best kind, sprinkled with great personages, a party such as we should all have liked to be asked to meet. But these fine people had melted away; they had gone on to other great houses, they had got on the wing for town, where, indeed, the Markhams themselves were going early, like most Parliamentary people. Sir William too was away.
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Genres: Classics, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Victorian, Adult

421 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1880

About the author

Margaret Oliphant Wilson Oliphant (née Margaret Oliphant Wilson) was a Scottish novelist and historical writer, who usually wrote as Mrs. Oliphant. Her fictional works encompass "domestic realism, the historical novel and tales of the supernatural".

Margaret Oliphant was born at Wallyford, near Musselburgh, East Lothian, and spent her childhood at Lasswade (near Dalkeith), Glasgow and Liverpool. As a girl, she constantly experimented with writing. In 1849 she had her first novel published: Passages in the Life of Mrs. Margaret Maitland which dealt with the Scottish Free Church movement. It was followed by Caleb Field in 1851, the year in which she met the publisher William Blackwood in Edinburgh and was invited to contribute to the famous Blackwood's Magazine. The connection was to last for her whole lifetime, during which she contributed well over 100 articles, including, a critique of the character of Arthur Dimmesdale in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter.

Reviews

[Lyuda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Margaret Oliphant Wilson Oliphant (4 April 1828 – 25 June 1897), was a Scottish novelist and historical writer. She wrote around 120 books of fiction, nonfiction, and essays. During the Victorian era her novels were very popular, many of them best sellers. I was not familiar with the author until I read this book. Written in 1879, the book tells a story of one well-to-do gentile family whose seems idealistic being was affected and transformed by changes brewing in society. The author's writing was very precise and to the point and felt surprisingly contemporary. There were very interesting observations regarding wealth, family obligations, revolution, women place in society, class divisions. I actually found myself paying more attention to these observations than to the actual story which was very slow in development.

[Lora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable read of a rich established family and their trials for being rich and well established. Charming characters and some really great lines reminiscent of Jane Austen's satirical views of society and the individual. The plot devices, what might be called coincidences, didn't hit me hard with their coincidental nature. It was more like: things happen, or information is gained, and people must make choices. And then it suddenly wrapped up, though not unsatisfactorily. Just suddenly. Like this review.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: THE Easter holidays were drawing near an end, and the family at Markham Chase had fallen into a state of existence somewhat different from its usual dignified completeness of life.

Premise/plot: What if your son came home from university a socialist?! Such is the position Mrs. Markham finds herself in in He That Will Not When He May. Her son, Paul, comes home--bringing a guest as well--a practical stranger to his family for he's adopted a whole new worldview that is at complete and total odds with his family. His worldview is a bit shocking, but even more so his new attitude of how to treat and value his family. His father hopes that maybe just maybe he'll grow out of this--that every young person--men in particular--must go through a wild, crazy, topsy-turvy stage that SHOCKS their elders. Almost every one grows out of such silly immaturity and returns to the fold of common sense.

The book focuses on the ups and downs of the Markham family over the course of perhaps two years. In that time, we've got Paul who HATES his family background, traditions, responsibilities, duties, customs. He wants to turn his back on his social position and class. And we've also got a stranger to the community, Gus, who is seeking a place in his family and community. And we've got plenty of younger and not so younger siblings as well.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed the experience of reading this one. I will admit up front I'm not sure if my sympathies line up with where Oliphant wanted them to line up. In other words, I never really forgave Paul his obnoxious, rebellious, hideous stage. I know that his family does--and perhaps that is only as it should be. Unconditional love for the family. But as a reader I had no unconditional love to offer Paul. My heart went with GUS. From the moment we meet him until he makes his exit...that is who I cared about most. That is who I wanted to have a happy ending. I wasn't satisfied exactly with how things turn out. Not that it's all about me--it isn't.

I also still have no idea about the title and how it fits into the theme of the story!

All that being said, I found the book a timely and relevant read.

Quotes:

“Ah, I see! You are all for equality, like Paul.” “Like Paul! I taught him everything he knows. He had not an idea on the subject before I opened his eyes to the horrible injustice of the present state of affairs.

They did not know they were doing wrong, these rich people. They told him all about it, simply, smilingly, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. All this went against his preconceived notions, just as the manners of a foreign country so often go against the idea you have formed of them.

As soon as he had come to the conviction that all men are equal he took the further step which costs a great deal more, and decided that there ought to be equality of property as well as of right. This made Sir William half angry, though it amused him. He bade his son not to be a fool.

He’s young, and he knows no better. He thinks that if he were able to give up all your estates to the people, justice would be done. That is all he knows. Stuff! we could do it all by a rising if it were as easy as that.

“I acknowledge no honour in the ancestors that robbed the poor to make me rich,” cried the hot-headed youth. And the end of all was that his mother and sister had much ado to keep him from leaving the house at once, late as it was, in the heat of passion.

Paul’s intellectual measles might be severe, but they were only measles after all, a malady of youth which a young man of marked character took more seriously than a frivolous boy, but which would pass away.

“Age does not go only by years—when you have a great deal to think of—”

Bury a secret in the deepest earth, and some chance digger, thinking of other things, will bring it up without intending it.

Exercise even the most innocent reticence about your own affairs, matters in which you have a perfect right to judge for yourself, and some time or other even this will come up against you like a crime.

How easy it is to learn the miserable alphabet of suspicion!

“You get over us by a suggestion of generosity when we are talking of justice. The thing will never happen, of course—not in our day, more’s the pity—your money and your land will never be taken from you.” “Do you think that is a pity, Mr. Spears?”

An opinion that has stood the test of years is a sacred thing.

Society prefers the suave and mediocre, and when a man acquires a high place in its ranks by reason of his profession, requires of him that he should be as little professional as possible.

Thus the threads in the shuttle of life mix themselves up and get all woven the wrong way.

People are not so close to mark our looks and words as we imagine them to be.

“I believe they are convictions; but you may be convinced of a foolish thing as well as a wise one.”

There are temptations to do right as well as to do wrong. Impulses came to him like little good angels pulling at his sleeve, entreating him to come; but alas! it is always more easy to resist temptations to do well than to do ill.

We have been dabbling in—what shall I call it?—socialism, communism, in a way—the whole set of us: and he is more in earnest than the rest; he is giving himself up to it.” “Socialism—communism!” cried Mr. Gus; he was horrified in his simplicity. “Why that’s revolution, that’s bloodshed and murder!” he cried.

“You discriminate very well. Spears, as you always do.” “Yes, I suppose I have a knack that way,” said the demagogue, simply.

The less honest a man is, the more sure he is to get up to the top.

What a thing it is to be a mother! The sentiment has found utterance in Greek, so it does not profess to be novel. If not one thing, then another; sometimes two troubles together, or six, as many as she has children—except that, in the merciful dispensation of Providence, the woman who has many children cannot make herself so wretched about every individual as she who has few contrives to do.

[Miriam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. I found the depictions of class interesting. It did get long in parts, however, and I felt like the end was too rushed. Also, there were several unfortunate occurrences of the N-word. This isn't surprising since several of the characters were from the West Indies, but it was still jarring. I am interesting in reading more of Oliphant's books.

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

On Margaret Oliphant’s webpage, it claims that this Victorian novelist is popular again. I don’t know if that assertion is true but the one novel of hers that I recently read convinced me that she is deserving of popularity. I came to He That Will Not When He May through an Amazon Prime recommendation or some such. I must confess: I selected it because it sounded like the title of a Trollop novel and I have pretty much depleted all of those. Initially, I was underwhelmed. The opening scene of a family in a drawing room receiving a guest portended a stuffy novel, an easy veering for the Victorian novel. Although the novel was slow to develop, I gradually began to appreciate its strength, its capacity to make broad sociopolitical conflicts into deeply personal matters. The novel concerns class, identity, and gender. Our protagonist wants to set himself free of the elitist values of his upper class existence. However, doing so involves abandoning family responsibilities. Not until an interloper appears does he realize his ambivalence about his values and his life direction. Another theme concerns women and power as the female characters experiment with a range of stratagems, some gender stereotypical and others not) to support their destinies. Oliphant leavens the seriousness of the theme with a good deal of humor (evoking amusement, not laughter) contributed by some of the more peripheral characters.

[Diane Shearer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book. The only reason I can’t give it five stars is because she didn’t wrap up the epilogue in the most satisfying way. The writing is top notch, and the subject matter completely relevant. I relate to this story on a personal level because I, too, sent a loving, righteous, sensible son to University and got back a Woke Socialist who despises his family. Except my son actually has moved to another country and has not yet come back to the values with which he was raised. It’s absolutely heartbreaking. This book was written in 1879 but it felt like my diary. But back to the book. Another reviewer said she found herself unable to forgive Paul, her sympathy all with Gus. I agree. Poor Gus! He could not possibly have known his father had denied his existence all his life. Nor could he have known he would hate England and English life. I might have felt more for Paul had he taken the Rector’s advice, taken orders, taken the living, married Dolly and raised ten children. That would have balanced the scales of the damage his youthful rebellion had done. But the story ended too soon. I wanted Gus to be proud of his property, to learn to farm and take responsibility for the land. But he left. I wanted to see the wedding between Alice and Fairfax, and for Alice to reconcile with Gus in her happiness. But she didn’t. I love this family. I’m so glad I found this book. It’s completely Victorian, yet timeless in its wisdom and understanding of human nature. Such a joy to read, even though I cried through most of it.

[ElCee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just like Dickens, Margaret Oliphant first published this story in a magazine in the late 1800s, so just like Dickens' works, this novel is a "Dickens" to read. There are absolutely PAGES of "inner thoughts" between lines of dialog so that it becomes quite painful to read and you'd better know--or at least learn--how to skim in order to finish this book. I don't think I've ever read anything full of so much loquacious twaddle in my life! Her plot is good but it need to have been developed in a much smaller novel (at least by half!). The plot has twists and turns and resolution--for the most part--but then the ending just drops you so that you are left hanging. I'm not sure if she was going for a literary device by ending abruptly or, like her readers, she simply got tired of her own writing. I don't know what writing instruction she may have had, but if I were to grade her, she'd get a D+ or perhaps a C- at the most.

[Greg Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Margaret Oliphant delights!

Ms. Oliphant was unknown to me. I thought I had read the Victorians, but am pleased to have found her. Her prose is fine, her plot making intricate and subtle, her characters three-dimensional. The "hero" Paul is, however, disagreeable and never gains one's sympathy, although the entire book and all the characters revolve around him. Still, it is not a story from a formula but quite unique and unfolds with a fine pace and even suspense.

[Dr.J.G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very surprising one finds oneself reading this book, in that this author is not as well known as deserved for sheer quality of writing. And she supported her three children with her writing, which amounts to her being not insignificant in her day, which was just over a century ago. Why her books are not as well read as those of Jane Austen, Bronte sisters or Galsworthy, cannot be only due to some similarities in writing, thinking or themes - Galsworthy came after, for one thing.

Her social setting and thought is generally reminiscent of Austen, while the era is more of or closer to Bronte sisters, what with the West Indies adventures of the younger sons and complications arising therefrom due to entailed estates, needs of younger sons to find a livelihood and possibly also an advantageous match, which if happened abroad didn't always go well with the younger sons so wed abroad returning home due to change in circumstances.

This work deals with difficulties of such marriages abroad with a different facet thereof, albeit reminding one of Jane Eyre. Funny part is, it is Jane Eyre that is more of romantic in comparison, while this one is more realistic in almost every way.

And yet, in a style with not so bold strokes as Charlotte Bronte, rather closer to Austen in plain but a bit subtler, closer to Galsworthy, the author here brings contrast of the two sons vividly home, with one brought up to expect nobility and riches and estates and more, playing with socialism and equality seriously until he is brought face to face with never having had any right to what he was so easily willing to or at least declaring he would throw away for sake of social equality, while the elder who quietly but emphatically asserts his rights to his place yet being noble about sharing everything with his new found family and reassuring them over and over about how he intends to cherish them, and doing so. Paul is tall and looks the part, while Augustus is short and looks like his dad, but it is Sir Augustus, not Sir Paul, and long after having finished the book this point remains like a subtle fragrance lingering.

This is even more emphasised with the mother of Paul, the good looking and amiable noble lady, melting all her objections to a match for her daughter when it is mentioned that the very desirable but unfortunately lacking in gentility of lineage suitor is extremely rich.

The political thought of the author is closer to Galsworthy, however, with questions of rights and castes of Europe taking for granted their privileges or deprivations for the most part, and this author is possibly less subtle about it.

One wonders,naturally, having read this author and others similar who are good but comparatively lesser known, if fashion forms a part of popularity and critical judgement of worthy critics either falls away or falls short in presenting readership with a plethora of decent works by good authors.

[Patrizia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tra le scrittrici vittoriane, la scozzese Mrs Oliphant - quando non cede alla tentazione di virare verso il soprannaturale - è quella che si confronta con maggior franchezza con la crisi che travolse la rigida divisione in classi della società britannica nel corso dell'ottocento. In questo splendido romanzo tutto ruota intorno al contrasto (non privo di reciproca ammirazione) tra due figure antitetiche: Lady Markham, quintessenza della perfetta educazione aristocratica, colta, sensibile, generosa, e il 'demagogo' Spears, intelligente, coraggioso, irrimediabilmente onesto. Tra loro, il giovane Paul Markham, figlio ed erede di una grande casata, ma adepto entusiasta delle nuove idee socialiste, si trova a vivere in pochi mesi un'esperienza di crescita che lo condurrà, attraverso fasi drammatiche e tormentose, alla maturità.
La storia è ovviamente molto molto più complessa: e l'attenzione della scrittrice per tutti i suoi personaggi e per le loro vicende, la mano leggera della narrazione, l'ironia sottile della scrittura ne fanno un affresco sorprendentemente preciso e realistico.

[Brooke796 ☼ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book kept being recommended to me on Amazon because I like Regency Romances, so I tried it.

Wow! is it boring!!! It really has the making of a good book, but it's not a Regency Romance and it could have done with a lot of editing. I mean there are whole chapters that should have been taken out! It was written as a Serial, but I'm really surprised that it held the audience's attention more than a few weeks. It is much like Elizabeth Gaskell's writing. To be fair, it probably would make a decent period movie.

[noelle debruhl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light and entertaining reading from the olden days... with some little twists interestingly intertwined with social awareness. Lords and ladies versus socialists and communists. Fizzles out at the end.

[Sidney Weber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boring

This book provided a disturbing but probably accurate picture of English life in the 19th century without apparent malice or exaggeration. However, I found both the plot and the characters wooden and could not really enjoy it.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first time reading this author. I do like reading books of this genre and this one was good, but not amazing.

[Kell Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, well characterized, well plotted, charming, not romanticized. Mrs. Oliphant writes parts of Victorian society I haven't seen.

[Anne Boesiger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liked very much. Looking for more

Not what I expected. Enjoyed this very much. A mode complex plot than I had expected. Wish other plot lines hads been devdlopeds

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found myself caring for the characters in the same way I became engrossed in the family members of Downton Abbey on tv. A good vacation read.