Anthony Lyveden
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | 1921 |
| Founder | Dornford Yates (Cecil William Mercer) |
| Products | Adventure novel |
Anthony Lyveden is an adventure novel published in 1921 by the English writer Dornford Yates (Cecil William Mercer). Originally appearing in serialized form within The Windsor Magazine, it represents Mercer's debut full-length novel and was succeeded by Valerie French, which continues the narrative of the principal characters.
Plot
Anthony Lyveden DSO, a former officer now impoverished, accepts employment as a footman at the Gramarye estate. When Colonel Winchester, the estate's proprietor, suffers a mental collapse, Lyveden takes over management through power of attorney, a responsibility that eventually leads him to lose his own sanity.
Background
During the period of composition, Mercer was undergoing significant personal distress after his father’s suicide earlier in 1921. According to biographer AJ Smithers, Mercer was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Despite editorial pressure from The Windsor Magazine to conclude episodes with romantic resolutions, Mercer persisted with his chosen storytelling style.
Chapters
| Chapter | Book Title | Windsor Title | Date | Volume | Issue | Pages | Illustrator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | The Way Of A Man | In The First Place | January 1921 | LIII | 313 | 101-116 | Norah Schlegel |
| II | The Way Of A Maid | In The Second Place | February 1921 | LIII | 314 | 205-220 | Norah Schlegel |
| III | The Voice Of The Turtle | In The Third Place | March 1921 | LIII | 315 | 311-324 | Norah Schlegel |
| IV | The Golden Bowl | Livery Of Seisin | April 1921 | LIII | 316 | 411-425 | Norah Schlegel |
| V | An High Look And A Proud Heart | A Month's Wages | May 1921 | LIII | 317 | 517-531 | Norah Schlegel |
| VI | The Comfort Of Apples | Gramarye | June 1921 | LIV | 318 | 3-16 | Norah Schlegel |
| VII | Nehustan | Grey Matter | July 1921 | LIV | 319 | 109-124 | Norah Schlegel |
| VIII | The Power Of The Dog | Ex-Parte Motions | August 1921 | LIV | 320 | 223-239 | Norah Schlegel |
| IX | Vanity Of Vanities | The Return Of The Spirit | September 1921 | LIV | 321 | 337-355 | Norah Schlegel |
Illustrations
The book edition did not include Norah Schlegel’s artwork that accompanied the original Windsor magazine serialization.
Critical reception
Smithers regarded Anthony Lyveden as lacking cohesion and too episodic to be considered a complete novel. He criticized the character portrayals, describing the main protagonist as somewhat arrogant, one female figure as lacking warmth and trustworthiness, and another as a crude opportunist.
Bibliography
- Smithers, AJ. Dornford Yates. Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1982. ISBN 0-340-27547-2