Other editions of book The Hidden Hand

Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth (December 26, 1819 – June 30, 1899) was an American writer of more than 60 novels in the latter part of the 19th century. She was the most popular American novelist of her day.In her novels, of which the most popular was The Hidden Hand (1859), her heroines often challenge modern perceptions of Victorian feminine domesticity by showing virtue as naturally allied to wit, adventure, and rebellion to remedy any unfortunate situation.Though The Hidden Hand was her most popular novel, Southworth stated that her later novel Ishmael (1876) was her favorite.Life and careerRaised in Washington, D.C., Southworth studied in a school kept by her stepfather, Joshua L. Henshaw. She later recalled her childhood as a lonely one, with her happiest moments spent exploring Maryland's Tidewater region on horseback. During those rides, she acquired an abiding interest in the area's history and folklore.[4] After attending her stepfather's school, Southworth completed her secondary education in 1835 at the age of 15. She then accepted a position as a schoolteacher. In 1840 she married inventor Frederick H. Southworth, of Utica, New York. E.D.E.N. Southworth moved with her husband out to Wisconsin to become a teacher. After 1843, she returned to Washington, D.C. without her husband and with two young children.After the birth of their second child, Frederick abandoned his family in search of Brazilian gold. Southworth never divorced her husband on conscientious grounds.She began to write stories to support herself and her children when her husband deserted her in 1844. Her first story, "The Irish Refugee", was published in the Baltimore Saturday Visiter. Some of her earliest works appeared in The National Era, the newspaper that printed Uncle Tom's Cabin. The bulk of her work appeared as a serial in Robert Bonner's New York Ledger,and in 1857 Southworth signed a contract to write exclusively for this publication.The exclusive contract Southworth signed with Bonner in 1856 and royalties from her published novels earned her about $10,000 a year, making her one of the country's best-paid writers.Southworth and her children were in ill health through much of the 1850's, but Bonner's contract guaranteed her income regardless of any periods of inactivity brought on by poor health. This arrangement remained in-tact for 30 years.Like her friend Harriet Beecher Stowe, she was a supporter of social change and women's rights, but she was not nearly as active on these issues. Her first novel, Retribution, a serial for the National Era, published in book form in 1846, was so well received that she gave up teaching and became a regular contributor to various periodicals, especially the New York Ledger. She lived in Georgetown, D.C., until 1876, then in Yonkers, New York, and again in Georgetown, D.C., where she died.Her best known work was The Hidden Hand. It first appeared in serial form in the New York Ledger in 1859, and was serialized twice more (1868–69, 1883) before first appearing in book form in 1888. Robert Bonner, publisher and editor of the New York Ledger, evidently used the appeal of the novel to "give an occasional boost to his weekly's already massive circulation." It features Capitola Black, a tomboyish antagonist that finds herself in a myriad of adventures. Southworth stated that nearly every adventure of her heroine came from real life. Most of Southworth's novels deal with the Southern United States during the post-American Civil War era. She wrote over sixty; some of them were translated into German, French, Chinese, Icelandic and Spanish; in 1872 an edition of thirty-five volumes was published in Philadelphia.Robert Bonner, the proprietor of the New York Ledger was asked by a reporter in 1889 “Who were your most successful story writers?” His reply was: “Mrs. Southworth and Sylvanus Cobb Jr. ..

THE HIDDEN HAND was E.D.E.N. Southworth's best known work, first appearing in serial form in the New York Ledger in 1859. Southworth should be credited for creating fearless, independent, intelligent heroines at a time when her contemporary best selling novelists were portraying silent and submissive ones. Capitola and the other colorful characters in THE HIDDEN HAND are unique and endearing, in spite of their melodramatic qualities. THE HIDDEN HAND is a fantastic example of a 19th century "Popular", what we today call a Gothic-Romance. This is what all the ladies were reading and even though it follows the formula used by writers of the period, it's still an outstanding page-turner. Descriptions, characters and plot are all well developed and it moves along quickly and easily. 19th Century Literature really can rock if you let it!

Hurricane Hall is a large old family mansion, built of dark-red sandstone, in one of the loneliest and wildest of the mountain regions of Virginia. The estate is surrounded on three sides by a range of steep, gray rocks, spiked with clumps of dark evergreens, and called, from its horseshoe form, the Devil's Hoof. On the fourth side the ground gradually descends in broken, rock and barren soil to the edge of the wild mountain stream known as the Devil's Run. When storms and floods were high the loud roaring of the wind through the wild mountain gorges and the terrific raging of the torrent over its rocky course gave to this savage locality its ill-omened names of Devil's Hoof, Devil's Run and Hurricane Hall. Major Ira Warfield, the lonely proprietor of the Hall, was a veteran officer, who, in disgust at what he supposed to be ill-requited services, had retired from public life to spend the evening of his vigorous age on this his patrimonial estate. Here he lived in seclusion, with his old-fashioned housekeeper, Mrs. Condiment, and his old family servants and his favorite dogs and horses. Here his mornings were usually spent in the chase, in which he excelled, and his afternoons and evenings were occupied in small convivial suppers among his few chosen companions of the chase or the bottle.In person Major Warfield was tall and strongly built, reminding one of some old iron-limbed Douglas of the olden time. His features were large and harsh; his complexion dark red, as that of one bronzed by long exposure and flushed with strong drink. His fierce, dark gray eyes were surmounted by thick, heavy black brows that, when gathered into a frown, reminded one of a thunder cloud, as the flashing orbs beneath them did of lightning. His hard, harsh face was surrounded by a thick growth of iron-gray hair and beard that met beneath his chin. His usual habit was a black cloth coat, crimson vest, black leather breeches, long, black yarn stockings, fastened at the knees, and morocco slippers with silver buttons.In character Major Warfield was arrogant, domineering and violent—equally loved and feared by his faithful old family servants at home—disliked and dreaded by his neighbors and acquaintances abroad, who, partly from his house and partly from his character, fixed upon him the appropriate nickname of Old Hurricane.- Taken from "The Hidden Hand" written by E. D. E. N. Southworth (Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth)

Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth (December 26, 1819 – June 30, 1899) was an American writer of more than 60 novels in the latter part of the 19th century. She was the most popular American novelist of her day.Raised in Washington, D. C., Southworth studied in a school kept by her stepfather, Joshua L. Henshaw, and in 1840 married inventor Frederick H. Southworth, of Utica, New York. E.D.E.N. Southworth moved with her husband out to Wisconsin to become a teacher. After 1843, she returned to Washington, D.C. without her husband and with two young children. She began to write stories to support herself and her children when her husband deserted her in 1844. Her first story, "The Irish Refugee", was published in the Baltimore Saturday Visiter. Some of her earliest works appeared in The National Era, the newspaper that printed Uncle Tom's Cabin. The bulk of her work appeared as a serial in Robert Bonner's New York Ledger,and in 1857 Southworth signed a contract to write exclusively for this publication.

The Hidden Hand (1888) is an exuberant action comedy, featuring fearless Capitola Black, a self-styled female Don Quixote, and the prototype of innumerable adventure heroines. Rescued from life on the streets in New York by a southern plantation owner, with his own reasons for befriending her, Capitola is too active and adventurous to settle for the life of a southern belle. Besides, the neighbourhood is infested with evil-doers--Black Donald, the notorious bandit, and Gabriel Le Noir, the owner of the plantation adjoining--combine to make her life full of excitement and peril. Serialized three times by popular demand before appearing in book form, The Hidden Hand exudes irresistible high spirits and cheer, and still retains the capacity to surprise and delight that enchanted its first readers.

Considered to be the best work of American author E.D.E.N. Southworth, The Hidden Hand is a portrayal of life in the Southern United States after the Civil War. Like many of her novels, this publication focuses on the classical version of sentimental fiction, complete with the damsel in distress and the evil villain. With a capable and confident heroine by the name of Capitola, and many exciting plot developments that readers can truly enjoy, the novel also includes many of Southworth's – at the time – original feminist ideals, that have managed to cause quite a stir in 19th century society.A curious and quite magnificent combination of mystery, suspense, romance and comedy, The Hidden Hand is far more than just a feminist book. It is well-written, engaging, and presents a keen, exciting narrative that makes it difficult to put down, once you've started reading. Through Capitola's story, E.D.E.N. Southworth becomes one of the most dignified spokespersons for women's rights, well before the idea of feminism was even hinted at in the mainstream media.One of the stranger things about this book is that it ends quite abruptly, making the suspense it builds throughout the plot even more intense and exciting. The sequel, Capitola's Peril, is a must-have for anyone who enjoyed The Hidden Hand, as it ties up all the loose ends, while providing readers with a satisfying and extremely well-presented continuation of the storyline in the first book.The Hidden Hand and its sequel are a must-read for anyone interested in being inspired by a brave and accomplished female author who manages to impress her peers even during a time when stories such as this one were accepted with great difficulty. Southworth impresses through her outstandingly engaging narrative, as well as through her mastery of feminist concepts, able to avoid many of the traps and pitfalls that her predecessors, and many later followers of feminist ideology constantly fell into.

Excerpt from The Hidden HandWhence is that knocking? How is't with me when every sound appals me? It it it I hear a knocking In the south entry! Hark l - More knocking! - shakespeare.Hurricane hall is a large old family mansion, built of dark-red sandstone, in one of the loneliest and wildest of the mountain regions of Virginia.The estate is surrounded on three sides by a range of steep, gray rocks, spiked with clumps of dark evergreens, and called, from its horseshoe form, the Devil's Hoof.On the fourth side the ground gradually descends in broken rock and barren soil to the edge of the wild mountain stream known as the Devil's Run.When storms and floods were high the loud roaring of the wind through the wild mountain gorges and the terrific raging of the torrent over its rocky course gave to this savage locality its ill-omened names of Devil's Hoof, Devil's Run and Hurri cane Hall.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

The Hidden Hand features Capitola Black, a tomboyish protagonist that finds herself in a myriad of adventures. Southworth stated that nearly every adventure of her heroine came from real life.[3] In the London version of the novel published by the Guide, the characters and action were revised and relocated. "The Masked Mother" takes place in the "hilly districts of North Wales" instead of Virginia, the protagonist is discovered in Dublin rather than New York, and the war segment of the novel is also shifted from Mexico to Crimea. Some characters retain their original names, including the villain Black Donald, while others are shifted to Irish and Scottish associations.[1]

Excerpt from The Hidden HandHurricane Hall is a large old family mansion, built of dark, red sandstone, in one of the loneliest and wildest of the mountain regions of Virginia.The estate is surrounded on three sides by a range of steep, gray rocks, spiked with clumps of dark evergreens, and called, from its horseshoe form, the Devil's Hoof.On the fourth side the ground gradually descends in broken rock and barren soil to the edge of the wild mountain stream known as the Devil's Run.When storms and floods were high, the loud roaring of the wild mountain gorges, and the terrific raging of the torrent over its rocky course, gave to this savage locality its ill-omened names of Devil's Hoof, Devil's Run and Hurricane Hall.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.