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The denouement of Philip Winters ill-begotten engagement to featherbrained Rose Birkett is enacted in full view of Southbridge School's extended family during a holiday break. Everyone, including her parents, is rooting for Philip's escape which occurs when Rose breaks it off as the utter dullness of being engaged overwhelms her. Along the way, we enjoy the tea party where Rose, through sheer want of personality bring(s) the talk to her own level and confounds her audience by insisting that Hamlet and Shakespeare are both names of plays (and probably the same one). As in many of Thirkell books, the characters refer to a body of literature, both classic and modern, with a casualness that would be improbable today; the assumption of a shared background and culture having been lost. The ceremony of the Cleaning of the Pond by Lydia, Eric Swan, and a much improved Tony Morland brings the holiday to a satisfactory conclusion as does a match between Kate Keith and Everard Carter.

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This book is part of the "Barsetshire" series.
Here are some other books from this series:

Before Lunch First published 1939 Rank: , Original Star Rating: , Adjustred Star Rating: , Pop Rating:1.4/10

August Folly First published 1936 Rank: , Original Star Rating: , Adjustred Star Rating: , Pop Rating:1.5/10

Wild Strawberries First published 1934 Rank: , Original Star Rating: , Adjustred Star Rating: , Pop Rating:1.7/10

Miss Bunting First published 1945 Rank: , Original Star Rating: , Adjustred Star Rating: , Pop Rating:1.3/10

Jutland Cottage First published 1953 Rank: , Original Star Rating: , Adjustred Star Rating: , Pop Rating:1.2/10

Pomfret Towers First published 1938 Rank: , Original Star Rating: , Adjustred Star Rating: , Pop Rating:1.5/10

The Headmistress First published 1944 Rank: , Original Star Rating: , Adjustred Star Rating: , Pop Rating:1.3/10

Marling Hall First published 1942 Rank: , Original Star Rating: , Adjustred Star Rating: , Pop Rating:1.2/10

Cheerfulness Breaks in First published 1940 Rank: , Original Star Rating: , Adjustred Star Rating: , Pop Rating:1.3/10

Private Enterprise First published 1947 Rank: , Original Star Rating: , Adjustred Star Rating: , Pop Rating:1.2/10

Northbridge Rectory First published 1941 Rank: , Original Star Rating: , Adjustred Star Rating: , Pop Rating:1.2/10

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