A Romantic Young Lady

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

28236

Title

A Romantic Young Lady

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

A Romantic Young Lady by Robert Grant follows Virginia, a sheltered heiress who inherits a fortune at eighteen. Disillusioned by a Bohemian suitor, she considers marrying Paul Spence, a philosopher advocating poverty and social reform. The novel explores themes of wealth, morality, and the conflict between conventional society and idealistic truth.

Summary up to 500 words

In Robert Grant's *A Romantic Young Lady*, the narrative follows Virginia, the daughter of a wealthy railway magnate, who is raised in a highly structured environment by two aunts and a governess. Isolated from peers and ignorant of her status until adulthood, Virginia enters society at eighteen only to discover she is an heiress to over three million dollars. This revelation immediately subjects her to the scrutiny of those who court her solely for her fortune. Her first significant romance is with Paul Barr, an eccentric artist representing the Bohemian ideal. However, their relationship ends in humiliation when Barr, intoxicated, insults Virginia, shattering her faith in the romanticism of the Bohemian lifestyle and exposing the dangers of unchecked passion. Following this disillusionment, Virginia encounters Paul Spence, a devoted advocate of the philosophy of Moderation. Spence proposes marriage, asking Virginia to renounce her vast inheritance to join him in a life of poverty dedicated to social progress and the pursuit of truth. He reveals that he has loved her for years but struggled against his feelings until her recent misfortune clarified his devotion. Virginia faces a profound internal conflict: the security of her wealth versus the noble cause Spence represents. She contemplates the social stigma and ridicule that would accompany their union, yet finds inspiration in his willingness to sacrifice for a higher truth. The story concludes with Virginia weighing the value of material comfort against the spiritual fulfillment of supporting a man of principle. Ultimately, she leans toward the conviction that a life dedicated to ideal truth offers a higher happiness than the mere enjoyment of money, suggesting that true nobility lies in the pursuit of progress and love over material excess.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Fiction