As a perceptive and generous critic, Saintsbury's love for Victorian novels shines in 'The English Novel' as he lays out his critical essays and discussions on works by the likes of Swift, Scott, Thackeray, Austen, Dickens, and other writers of the late-nineteenth century. His positioning as a writer just after the Victorian era ended and the iconoclasts of the time had passed away makes his insights near-impossible to recreate now. This book offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of literature before the profusion of writers and genres and publishers, and is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the English novel.