The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green

The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green
Title page of early (1870s) printing.
Mr Verdant Green

The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green is a novel by Cuthbert M. Bede, a pseudonym of Edward Bradley (1827–1889). It covers the exploits of Mr Verdant Green as an undergraduate freshman at Oxford University. Different editions have varying titles, including Mr Verdant Green: Adventures of an Oxford Freshman. The same characters reappear in a sequel entitled Little Mr Bouncer and his friend Verdant Green.

The work was first published in three separate parts, in soft covers, by James Blackwood, during the 1850s. Notices in early copies of the book indicate that they were first intended for sale at railway stations, for reading whilst travelling.

Bradley himself had attended University College, Durham (whence his pseudonym), graduating BA in 1848, but then went to Oxford for a year or so, studying to enter the church.

Though Bradley's Verdant Green has become something of a cult book about Oxford, he had previously produced a series of pen and ink drawings entitled 'Ye freshmonne his adventures at University College, Durham'. He altered the setting on the advice of Mark Lemon at Punch. Drawings of 'Durham Student Life' survive in College Life published in Oxford, Cambridge and Durham in 1850.

These drawings were much admired by masters like Cruickshank and Leech. Hippolyte Taine in his Notes sur l'Angleterre (1872) drew on Bradley's 'Oxford' book for his description of English university life.

It seems not to be widely known that no fewer than nine chapters of Part III are devoted to Verdant Green's visit to Northumberland. On the way he passes through Darlington. 'After mentioning Durham Cathedral and Lord Durham's monument on Penshaw Hill, Verdant Green and his party then pass over Robert Stephenson's (recently completed) High Level Bridge at Newcastle.

The location of 'Honeywood Hall' is not traced but the guests visit Warkworth, Alnwick, and Chillingham Castle to see the wild cattle. There is also a trip to Bamburgh and the Longstones light to talk to Grace Darling's father. Verdant eventually gets married here. Bradley clearly knew the area well and paints an attractive picture of the wild landscape and the pleasures of riding, al fresco meals and neighbourly contact, the warmer for being more difficult than in crowded Midland counties. Much amusement is had with local dialect and customs, but it is not condescending and the laugh is usually on Verdant Green.

Allusions/references from other works

Illustration by the author: The quiet wine party in Mr Smalls' rooms (Verdant Green is seated fourth left, with 'gig-lamps').
  • The book includes some classic line-drawing illustrations by the author. The poet John Betjeman reused these in his 1938 book on the university, An Oxford University Chest.
  • The name of the College Scout who is responsible for Verdant Green and his room is Robert Filcher. This name was 'borrowed' (or even filched) by M.R. James for a similar character in his ghost story The Mezzotint.

Editions

  • The Adventures of Mr Verdant Green (London: James Blackwood) - original.
  • "The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green. An Oxford Freshman", T. Nelson & Sons, circa 1920.
  • Mr Verdant Green: Adventures of an Oxford Freshman, Nonsuch Publishing, 2006. ISBN 1-84588-197-4.
  • The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green, Michigan Historical Reprint Series, Scholarly Publishing Office, University of Michigan Library, 2005. ISBN 1-4255-3427-9.
  • The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green, Indypublish.com, 2002. ISBN 1-4043-4264-8 / ISBN 1-4043-4265-6.
  • Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green, Oxford Paperbacks, 1982. ISBN 0-19-281331-5.

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Verdant Green — is a fictional undergraduate at Oxford University, as featured in the Victorian novel The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green , by Cuthbert M. Bede (a pseudonym of the clergyman Edward Bradley). He was a student at Brazenface College, a fictional… …   Wikipedia

  • Former colleges of the University of Durham — The former colleges of the University of Durham are those colleges that have been part of the University of Durham, Durham, England, but have since folded or cancelled their association with the university.Durham University currently consists of… …   Wikipedia

  • Literature in Oxford — The city of Oxford, England, has generated and inspired much literature. Many authors have lived in Oxford, especially associated with the University. It has also been a setting in many books.The Oxford University Press is the University s own… …   Wikipedia

  • Edward Bradley (writer) — Edward Bradley Self portrait, frontispiece to The Adventures of Mr Verdant Green (1870s impression) Born 25 March 1827(1827 03 25) Kidderminster, Worcestershire …   Wikipedia

  • List of fictional University of Oxford people — This is a list of fictional people associated with the University of Oxford. Some characters attended fictional colleges; others attended genuine colleges at the university.List*Sir Leigh Teabing The Da Vinci Code *Sir Humphrey Appleby GCB… …   Wikipedia

  • Durham University — University of Durham Shield from the arms of Durham University Latin: Universitas Dunelmensis Motto Latin: Fundamenta eius super montibus sanctis …   Wikipedia

  • Martyrs' Memorial — For the Iraqi memorial in Baghdad, see Al Shaheed Monument. Coordinates: 51°45′18″N 1°15′32″W / 51.75509°N 1.25901°W / 51.75509; 1.25901 …   Wikipedia

  • List of Durham University people — This is a list of alumni associated with Durham University, founded in 1832 in England. This includes those who have taught there, done research there, taken a degree there or were involved in its founding. Durham is a collegiate university, so… …   Wikipedia

  • An Oxford University Chest — is a book about Oxford University, written by the poet Sir John Betjeman and first published by John Miles in London in 1938. The full title is An Oxford University Chest. Comprising a Description of the Present State of the Town and University… …   Wikipedia

  • Bradley — (spr. bräddlĭ), 1) James, Astronom, geb. 1692 zu Shireborn in Gloucester, gest. 13. Juli 1762 in Chalford, anfangs Pfarrer, wandte er sich später der Astronomie zu und wurde 1721 Professor in Oxford. Er entdeckte 1728 die Aberration des Lichtes… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”