The Mummy! A Tale of the Twenty-Second Century

"The Mummy! A Tale of the Twenty-Second Century" by Jane Webb (Mrs. Loudon) is a novel written in the early 19th century. The story is set in a future England characterized by societal upheaval, changes in governance, and the complex interplay of politics and human emotion. The narrative begins with a reflection on the search for originality in storytelling and introduces themes of ambition, human nature, and the quest for knowledge, which seem to incite conflict among the characters. The opening portion of the novel establishes a richly imagined future world in the year 2126, where England has transitioned through various forms of governance, ultimately settling in a monarchy led by a female sovereign. This societal transformation is juxtaposed with the characters’ internal struggles and familial relationships, particularly focusing on Edmund Montagu, his ambitious nature, and the tensions involving his brother Edric and their father, Sir Ambrose. As the narrative unfolds, themes of loyalty, duty, ambition, and the desire for knowledge are explored, culminating in Edric's longing to free himself from familial expectations and embark on a quest for enlightenment linked to mummies and scientific discovery, setting the stage for potential conflict and intrigue. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Jane Loudon, also known as Jane C. Loudon, or Mrs. Loudon in her publications, was an English writer and early pioneer of science fiction. She wrote before the term was coined, and was discussed for a century as a writer of Gothic fiction, fantasy or horror. She also created the first popular gardening manuals, as opposed to specialist horticultural works, reframing the art of gardening as fit for young women. She was married to the well-known horticulturalist John Claudius Loudon, and they wrote some books together, as well as her own very successful series.