The Brother of Daphne
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | 1914 |
| Founder | Dornford Yates (Cecil William Mercer) |
| Products | Humorous short stories |
The Brother of Daphne is a 1914 compilation of humorous short tales authored by the English writer Dornford Yates (Cecil William Mercer). This volume marks the inaugural book published under the pseudonym he adopted from 1910 onward. It features the primary characters who appear frequently in his subsequent works: Bertram ('Berry') Pleydell, his wife and cousin Daphne Pleydell, Daphne's brother Boy Pleydell, their cousin Jonathan ('Jonah') Mansel, and Jonah's sister Jill Mansel—together recognized as 'Berry and Co'.
These narratives were first printed in The Windsor Magazine, with the suggestion for a book edition coming from the magazine’s editor, Arthur Hutchinson.
Contents
The collection includes fifteen amusing short stories, all recounted by Boy Pleydell. They portray the escapades of Berry, Daphne, Jonah, and Jill set against backdrops such as Hampshire, Devon, the Cotswolds, and Austria.
Background
During the period of writing, Mercer was practicing law in London as a barrister and had previously contributed stories to publications including Punch, The Harmsworth Red Magazine, and Pearson's Magazine. His association with The Windsor Magazine endured over multiple decades until it ceased publication in 1939. The Berry characters made their first appearance in 1910 within Pearson's Magazine, although that particular story has never been released in book form.
Chapters
| Chapter | Book Title | Windsor Title | Date | Volume | Issue | Pages | Illustrator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Punch And Judy | Punch And Judy | October 1911 | XXXIV | 202 | 541-551 | H Radcliffe-Wilson |
| II | Clothes And The Man | There Is A Tide | August 1913 | XXXVIII | 224 | 263-271 | G C Wilmshurst |
| III | When It Was Dark | A Drive In The Dark | November 1911 | XXXIV | 203 | 669-676 | Fred Pegram |
| IV | Adam And New Year's Eve | Fair Exchange | January 1914 | XXXIX | 229 | 209-218 | G C Wilmshurst |
| V | The Judgement of Paris | The Judgement of Paris | June 1914 | XL | 234 | 79-86 | G C Wilmshurst |
| VI | Which To Adore | Which To Adore | March 1914 | XXXIX | 231 | 486-494 | G C Wilmshurst |
| VII | Every Picture Tells A Story | Every Picture Tells A Story | July 1914 | XL | 235 | 201-208 | G C Wilmshurst |
| VIII | The Busy Beers | Busy Bees | September 1911 | XXXIV | 201 | 391-398 | A Wallis Mills |
| IX | A Point Of Honour | A Point Of Honour | October 1913 | XXXVIII | 226 | 501-507 | G C Wilmshurst |
| X | Pride Goeth Before | Pride Goeth Before | April 1914 | XXXIX | 232 | 672-678 | G C Wilmshurst |
| XI | The Love Scene | The Love Scene | September 1913 | XXXVIII | 225 | 383-391 | G C Wilmshurst |
| XII | The Order Of The Bath | The Order Of The Bath | May 1914 | XXXIX | 233 | 685-693 | G C Wilmshurst |
| XIII | 'A Lucid Interval' | 'A Lucid Interval' | November 1913 | XXXVIII | 227 | 621-627 | G C Wilmshurst |
| XIV | 'A Private View' | 'A Private View' | July 1913 | XXXVIII | 223 | 141-148 | G C Wilmshurst |
| XV | 'All Found' | 'All Found' | February 1914 | XXXIX | 230 | 371-378 | G C Wilmshurst |
Illustrations
The initial 1914 release included plates created by George Cecil Wilmshurst, originally featured in The Windsor Magazine serializations of certain chapters. The dust jacket was decorated with the illustration from Chapter XV, titled "All Found." Subsequent printings, beginning with the 1920 reissue, did not contain any illustrations.
Dedication
- "To Her. Who smiles upon me, even when I attempt no jest, Whose eyes brighten at my arrival, though I bring no present, Who endures me willingly, despite my lack of honor toward her, My Mother."
Critical reception
In August 1914, Punch magazine described the collection as "agreeable nonsense," emphasizing its clever dialogue and captivating character dynamics.
Dramatisation
An episode named "A Point of Honour" from the ITV series Hannay was based on the corresponding story from this collection, although the original source was not acknowledged.