Little Novels of Italy (eBook)

Maurice Henry Hewlett (1861–1923), an English historical novelist, poet, and essayist, carved a distinctive niche in the literary world of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Hewlett's career transitioned from law to literature, and he gained recognition with his second book, 'The Forest Lovers' (1898). His passion for medievalism and Renaissance is vividly showcased in his works, where he combined his love for history and romanticism. 'Little Novels of Italy,' published in 1899, is a testament to his literary style that often interweaves historical settings with lyrical prose and rich characterizations. This collection of tales illuminates the Italian landscape, both geographically and culturally, reflecting Hewlett's own fascination with the country and its art heritage. Although his popularity waned with the transition to modernist literature, Hewlett's novels remain exemplars of their genre, eluding straightforward classification and offering insight into the romantic historicism that characterized much of the literary output of his era. His oeuvre encompasses a wide range of books that include 'The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay' (1900) and 'The Queen's Quair; or, The Six Years' Tragedy' (1904), where historical figures are often the central characters. Hewlett's works, infusing antiquity with vitality, continue to be appreciated by those with a penchant for historical romances and the tapestry of the past.