Godolphin, Volume 1.

"Godolphin, Volume 1" by Edward Bulwer Lytton is a novel written in the mid-19th century. It revolves around themes of ambition, revenge, and the consequences of a life lived for societal approval, narrated through the experiences of its main characters, Constance Vernon and Percy Godolphin. The work delves into the complexities of relationships shaped by social expectations and personal desires within the context of an aristocratic society. The opening of the novel describes the dying moments of John Vernon, who curses societal norms and expresses his disappointment in those who abandoned him. His daughter, Constance, is introduced as a beautiful but stern figure who undergoes a transformation in her outlook on life as she grapples with her father's legacy and his dying wish for revenge against a society that wronged him. The narrative sets up a compelling contrast between Constance's intense drive for retribution and the life choices of Percy Godolphin, who battles with his own identity and societal pressures as he explores independence and emotional connections, particularly with those in the theater world. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton,, was an English writer and politician. He served as a Whig member of Parliament from 1831 to 1841 and a Conservative from 1851 to 1866. He was Secretary of State for the Colonies from June 1858 to June 1859, choosing Richard Clement Moody as founder of British Columbia. He was created Baron Lytton of Knebworth in 1866.