Stanley J. Weyman (1855–1928)

The first time I read this, I enjoyed it immensely --the second time, I found it a bit grim. Still, it is a good straightforward romantic adventure in 1q8th century England; an English gentleman at an inn gets involved with a beautiful lady...

Under the Red robe is one one my favorites among Weyman's stories, about a French adventuer who remains loyal to Richelieu at the time of the Day of Dupes and is duly rewarded. Count Hannibal is rather grim; A Gentleman of FRance has afine happy endng,but is almost unbearably sad earlier --the hero is a poor gentleman who has to pretend to his dying mother that he is a success --later on, he really does become a succes.

Stories from a variety of settings from 16th century France through 17th century England to 18th century (revolutionary) France. Two stories (one set in England, one in revolutoinary France) have the same plot, of a man captured by villains suddenly saved by the arrival of friends, but in general these are enjoyable; for me the "Diary of a Statesmen" section which continues the memoirs attributed to Henri IV's minister the duc de Sully is most interesting, and a few others set in the same show more period, such as "Crillon's Stake." show less

Weyman is if not absolutekly first class at least a very good second-class
historical novelist, chiefly writing of the 16th and 17th centuries in England and France.He has a fair title to be the English Dumas. I love best his 16th century Frejncg tales of Henri IV, but this concerns a Jacobite plot in the 1690s, told from a strongly Whig viewpoint.