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The Virginians

William Makepeace Thackeray · Public domain text

354,316 words · about 24 h 49 min to read

Period artwork: Interior of the Bodleian Library, 1845
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About this edition

The text of The Virginians comes from Project Gutenberg e-text #8123. It is in English and public domain in the United States. Project Gutenberg’s header and license text are removed, and RedLectern sets the text out for reading on screen; no words of the book are rewritten or summarized. More formats (EPUB, Kindle) · How RedLectern is built

This book is long enough to be split into 10 parts, so each one loads quickly on its own.

Contents (93)
  1. Opening about 2 min
  2. I. In which one of the Virginians visits home about 17 min
  3. II. In which Harry has to pay for his Supper about 19 min
  4. III. The Esmonds in Virginia about 13 min
  5. IV. In which Harry finds a New Relative about 11 min
  6. V. Family Jars about 22 min
  7. VI. The Virginians begin to see the World about 13 min
  8. VII. Preparations for War about 15 min
  9. VIII. In which George suffers from a Common Disease about 11 min
  10. IX. Hospitalities about 19 min
  11. X. A Hot Afternoon about 19 min
  12. XI. Wherein the two Georges prepare for Blood about 10 min
  13. XII. News from the Camp about 14 min
  14. XIII. Profitless Quest about 16 min
  15. XIV. Harry in England about 10 min
  16. XV. A Sunday at Castlewood about 15 min
  17. XVI. In which Gumbo shows Skill with the Old English Weapon about 18 min
  18. XVII. On the Scent about 14 min
  19. XVIII. An Old Story about 15 min
  20. XIX. Containing both Love and Luck about 10 min
  21. XX. Facilis Descensus about 23 min
  22. XXI. Samaritans about 14 min
  23. XXII. In Hospital about 19 min
  24. XXIII. Holidays about 13 min
  25. XXIV. From Oakhurst to Tunbridge about 17 min
  26. XXV. New Acquaintances about 14 min
  27. XXVI. In which we are at a very Great Distance from Oakhurst about 20 min
  28. XXVII. Plenus Opus Aleae about 13 min
  29. XXVIII. The Way of the World about 14 min
  30. XXIX. In which Harry continues to enjoy Otium sine Dignitate about 6 min
  31. XXX. Contains a Letter to Virginia about 16 min
  32. XXXI. The Bear and the Leader about 22 min
  33. XXXII. In which a Family Coach is ordered about 17 min
  34. XXXIII. Contains a Soliloquy by Hester about 14 min
  35. XXXIV. In which Mr. Warrington treats the Company with Tea and a Ball about 17 min
  36. XXXV. Entanglements about 16 min
  37. XXXVI. Which seems to mean Mischief about 16 min
  38. XXXVII. In which various Matches are fought about 12 min
  39. XXXVIII. Sampson and the Philistines about 17 min
  40. XXXIX. Harry to the Rescue about 14 min
  41. XL. In which Harry pays off an Old Debt, and incurs some New Ones about 18 min
  42. XLI. Rake's Progress about 16 min
  43. XLII. Fortunatus Nimium about 13 min
  44. XLIII. In which Harry flies High about 16 min
  45. XLIV. Contains what might, perhaps, have been expected about 19 min
  46. XLV. In which Harry finds two Uncles about 11 min
  47. XLVI. Chains and Slavery about 25 min
  48. XLVII. Visitors in Trouble about 13 min
  49. XLVIII. An Apparition about 8 min
  50. XLIX. Friends in Need about 10 min
  51. L. Contains a Great deal of the Finest Morality about 17 min
  52. LI. Conticuere Omnes about 21 min
  53. LII. Intentique Ora tenebant about 13 min
  54. LIII. Where we remain at the Court End of the Town about 10 min
  55. LIV. During which Harry sits smoking his Pipe at Home about 17 min
  56. LV. Between Brothers about 12 min
  57. LVI. Ariadne about 22 min
  58. LVII. In which Mr. Harry's Nose continues to be put out of joint about 11 min
  59. LVIII. Where we do what Cats may do about 13 min
  60. LIX. In which we are treated to a Play about 22 min
  61. LX. Which treats of Macbeth, a Supper, and a Pretty Kettle of Fish about 16 min
  62. LXI. In which the Prince marches up the Hill and down again about 11 min
  63. LXII. Arma Virumque about 31 min
  64. LXIII. Melpomene about 23 min
  65. LXIV. In which Harry lives to fight another Day about 15 min
  66. LXV. Soldier's Return about 9 min
  67. LXVI. In which we go a-courting about 14 min
  68. LXVII. In which a Tragedy is acted, and two more are begun about 25 min
  69. LXVIII. In which Harry goes westward about 10 min
  70. LXIX. A Little Innocent about 25 min
  71. LXX. In which Cupid plays a Considerable Part about 19 min
  72. LXXI. White Favours about 12 min
  73. LXXII. (From the Warrington MS.) In which My Lady is on the Top of the Ladder about 11 min
  74. LXXIII. We keep Christmas at Castlewood. 1759 about 24 min
  75. LXXIV. News from Canada about 15 min
  76. LXXV. The Course of True Love about 17 min
  77. LXXVI. Informs us how Mr. Warrington jumped into a Landau about 12 min
  78. LXXVII. And how everybody got out again about 18 min
  79. LXXVIII. Pyramus and Thisbe about 20 min
  80. LXXIX. Containing both Comedy and Tragedy about 13 min
  81. LXXX. Pocahontas about 14 min
  82. LXXXI. Res Angusta Domi about 19 min
  83. LXXXII. Miles's Moidore about 5 min
  84. LXXXIII. Troubles and Consolations about 26 min
  85. LXXXIV. In which Harry submits to the Common Lot about 22 min
  86. LXXXV. Inveni Portum about 20 min
  87. LXXXVI. At Home about 25 min
  88. LXXXVII. The Last of God Save the King about 14 min
  89. LXXXVIII. Yankee Doodle comes to Town about 8 min
  90. LXXXIX. A Colonel without a Regiment about 16 min
  91. XC. In which we both fight and run away about 25 min
  92. XCI. Satis Pugnae about 15 min
  93. XCII. Under Vine and Fig-Tree about 35 min

The opening of I. In which one of the Virginians visits home

On the library wall of one of the most famous writers of America, there hang two crossed swords, which his relatives wore in the great War of Independence. The one sword was gallantly drawn in the service of the king, the other was the weapon of a brave and honoured republican soldier. The possessor of the harmless trophy has earned for himself a name alike honoured in his ancestors' country and his own, where genius such as his has always a peaceful welcome.

The ensuing history reminds me of yonder swords in the historian's study at Boston. In the Revolutionary War, the subjects of this story, natives of America, and children of the Old Dominion, found themselves engaged on different sides in the quarrel, coming together peaceably at its conclusion, as brethren should, their love ever having materially diminished, however angrily the contest divided them. The colonel in scarlet, and the general in blue and buff, hang side by side in the wainscoted parlour of the Warringtons, in England, where a descendant of one of the brothers has shown their portraits to me, with many of the letters which they wrote, and the books and papers which belonged to them.

Read on in Part 1 →