Vassall Morton: A Novel

"Vassall Morton: A Novel" by Francis Parkman is a literary work written in the mid-19th century. The novel explores themes of youth, ambition, and the complexities of social interactions, particularly focusing on the experiences of the main character, Vassall Morton, as he navigates college life and relationships in a society that values status and propriety. The opening of the novel introduces us to Vassall Morton, a Harvard student, as he engages with various characters in the library. We see his interactions with fellow students and references to his father’s legacy, hinting at both his heritage and expectations. Morton's character is depicted as a blend of scholarly ambition and physical vigor, symbolizing the tension between academic rigor and the freedom of youthful exploration. As the narrative progresses, it teases the dynamics of friendship, familial connections, and romantic interests, setting the stage for deeper character development and conflict that will unfold throughout the story. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Francis Parkman Jr. was an American historian, best known as author of The Oregon Trail: Sketches of Prairie and Rocky-Mountain Life and his monumental seven-volume France and England in North America. These works are still valued as historical sources and as literature. He was also a leading horticulturist, briefly a professor of horticulture at Harvard University and author of several books on the topic. Parkman wrote essays opposed to legal voting for women that continued to circulate long after his death. Parkman was a trustee of the Boston Athenæum from 1858 until his death in 1893.