The Anthony Trollope Library

In which the bishop, stirred by unexpected support from Mr. Slope, contemplates asserting his own will against the formidable Mrs. Proudie regarding a contentious hospital appointment, whilst navigating the delicate politics within his household. Meanwhile, Mr. Slope finds himself constrained by the lady's watchful eye, leading him to ponder where his own influence may end within the diocese.

In which Mr. Slope engages in a delicate conversation with Mrs. Bold regarding her father’s strained prospects at the hospital, revealing the tangled loyalties and subtle manoeuvres at the palace. Meanwhile, the tender domestic scene of Eleanor Bold playing with her baby softly contrasts with the growing anxieties about her father’s future, reflecting the quiet complexities of affection and ambiti...

In which Mr. Slope conveys to Dr. Grantly the bishop’s decision concerning a contested appointment, revealing a subtle understanding between chaplain and prelate that vexes Mrs. Proudie and fuels the Archdeacon’s wrath. Meanwhile, Eleanor finds herself caught between family tensions and social expectations, as her attachments and intentions become the subject of uneasy speculation and prudential c...

In which Mr. Slope, emboldened by the bishop, contemplates the advantages of courting a wealthy widow while wrestling with his conscience and social rivalries, and the Stanhope siblings discuss prospects and prejudices surrounding proposals and marriages with their usual candid frankness. The narrative delicately unveils these intertwined ambitions and opinions, rendering the familiar setting of B...

In which the archdeacon triumphantly announces the appointment of the scholarly and eccentric Reverend Arabin to the nearby living of St. Ewold, believing this gentlemanly champion will counterbalance the presence of his adversary, Mr. Slope, in Barchester. Meanwhile, a weary old friend grapples with the question of resuming his former duties amidst lingering disputes, as the archdeacon schemes to...

In which Mr. Harding wrestles with the sharp sting of displacement and the unsettling rise of new ecclesiastical philosophies, finding little comfort even in his daughter Eleanor’s well-meaning efforts and burgeoning sympathies towards the zealous Mr. Slope. The household bristles with quiet tensions, as suspicions and fears about the chaplain’s intentions begin to shadow the prospects of both the...

In which Mr. Harding is summoned by Mr. Slope to discuss the proposed conditions attached to the hospital appointment offered by the bishop, revealing tensions between old and new clerical attitudes. The conversation exposes Mr. Harding's reluctant defiance of the demands for increased duties and transformed practices, as well as Mr. Slope's strategic manoeuvring to secure the position for his own...

In which the bishop and his wife grapple with the consequences of a chaplain’s controversial sermon and prepare to reassert their presence in Barchester with a grand evening reception, summoning the city's clergy and gentry to the palace. Among the assembled guests is the striking and enigmatic Signora Neroni, whose dramatic entrance commands attention and sets tongues wagging in the midst of care...

In which the bishop of Barchester is introduced to the rather unconventional Signora Neroni and her lively brother, leading to a series of social entanglements and mishaps at a crowded reception, not least the unfortunate fate of Mrs. Proudie’s lace train. This gathering reveals fractious undercurrents among clergy and guests alike, as well as the subtle battles for influence and favour within the...

In which the quiet town of Barchester finds itself unsettled by a provocative sermon from a new clergyman whose doctrines offend the established clergy and divide the city's good people into parties both scandalised and intrigued. A solemn council of dignified churchmen resolves to restrict his preaching, while his youthful supporters rally in spirited defence, setting the stage for a contest betw...

In which the long-absent Dr. Vesey Stanhope and his curious family return from Italy to Barchester, bringing with them a mixture of charm, eccentricity, and concealed complexities that unsettle the clerical community. Their various dispositions, from the indolent and indifferent father to the fascinating yet constrained Madeline, weave together a remarkable portrait of a family settling awkwardly...

In which Mr. Slope, with a supple tongue and artful manners, unexpectedly gains a cautious welcome into the drawing-room of the Widow Bold, while Mr. Harding contemplates his impending return to the somewhat diminished but dear old wardenship of Hiram’s Hospital, balancing affection for its inmates with a measure of disquiet over the new arrangements. The dialogue between father and daughter touch...

In which the Rev. Mr. Obadiah Slope, a somewhat austere and ambitious clergyman with peculiar manners and a fervent zeal for Sabbath observance, is introduced as the new private chaplain to the freshly appointed Bishop of Barchester, carrying with him intentions to assert considerable influence within the diocese. We learn of his complex relations with the Proudie family and his contrasting style...

In which Dr. Grantly and Mr. Harding pay a ceremonious visit to the new Bishop Dr. Proudie and his formidable wife at the episcopal palace, where familiar surroundings appear oddly transformed and fresh tensions are soon kindled over matters ecclesiastical and domestic. The visit, marked by Mrs. Proudie's insistent religiosity and Mr. Slope’s officiousness, leaves the gentlemen more vexed than wel...

In which the archdeacon Dr. Grantly returns to Barchester with a tempest of indignation stirred by the presence and sermon of the new bishop’s chaplain, Mr. Slope, whose High Church opponents find his austere reforms and condemnations of established cathedral practices greatly unsettling. Amidst whispered aversions and mounting rivalries, the cathedral choir chants solemnly while the clergymen bra...

In which the newly installed Bishop Dr. Proudie is presented as a man of considerable social ambition and political tact, whose ascendancy subjects him to the firm and often domineering rule of his wife, Mrs. Proudie, whose stern Sabbatarian principles shape much of their domestic life. It is also revealed how, through Mrs. Proudie’s influence, the mild and amiable yet somewhat ineffectual Mr. Slo...

In which Mr. Harding, having resigned from his wardenship amidst public controversy, settles into a quieter clerical life at St. Cuthbert’s and reflects on the reform and administration of Hiram’s Hospital. Meanwhile, the young widow Mrs. Eleanor Bold navigates her grief and newfound responsibilities, finding solace in the birth of her child and the steady support of her family.

In which the peaceful passing of the venerable Bishop Grantly in Barchester sets in motion the anxious hopes and disappointments of his son, the archdeacon, whose ambitions for ecclesiastical preferment are tested by the shifting political tides and the slow machinery of church appointments. We observe, with gentle scrutiny and measured sympathy, the interplay of human aspiration and circumstance,...

In which Mr Harding takes up a modest but charming clerical post at the little Gothic church of St Cuthbert in Barchester, where he quietly continues his religious duties and enjoys a gentle, if somewhat solitary, routine. His daughter Eleanor’s marriage brings shifts in family relations and social engagements, while the bishop shows a peculiar dependence on Mr Harding’s company, and the town stil...

In which a kind and gentle warden bids farewell to the aged bedesmen under his care, seeking to maintain peace and goodwill despite recent misunderstandings and changes. The scene is touched with sorrow and regret, as both master and men face the uncertainties that lie ahead, bound by a history of kindness and human frailty.

In which Mr Harding, after much inner struggle and with a gentle spirit, resolves to resign from the wardenship of Barchester Hospital, sending heartfelt letters to his bishop and preparing for the next chapter of his life despite financial uncertainties. Meanwhile, the archdeacon contemplates legal and clerical manoeuvres in London, seeking a practical resolution to the predicament with a mixture...

In which the warden, faced with entreaties from his family and a stern archdeacon to abandon his resolve, quietly holds fast to his conviction to resign his preferment despite forebodings of hardship. The conversation reveals tender familial dynamics and the weighty practicalities that accompany decisions of conscience and honour within a venerable institution.

In which the earnest Mr Harding contemplates the grave sacrifice of relinquishing a comfortable income and the duties of his sacred post amidst the quiet aisles of a vast cathedral, grappling with the practicalities of poverty and honourable independence. Seeking refuge from his troubles, he ventures into the unfamiliar bustle of London, finding solace in humble fare and unexpected quietude before...

In which Mr Harding seeks counsel from the attorney-general regarding the troubling accusations aired in the newspapers, revealing his inner turmoil and his resolution to forgo his comfortable position if it is unjustly held. Despite the legal and social pressures bearing upon him, he is buoyed by the steadfast support of his daughter and hopeful friends as he prepares to face the difficult conver...

In which we are shown, with much worldly shrewdness and a very fair measure of irony, how a private scruple may swell into a public agitation, till pamphleteers, novelists, and men of the press are all busy upon a matter which those most nearly concerned would gladly see handled with more mercy and less zeal.