An Imperative Duty

""An Imperative Duty"" is a novel written by William Dean Howells, first published in 1891. The book tells the story of a young woman named Lydia Blood, who is forced to choose between her duty to her family and her own desires. Lydia is engaged to a wealthy man named Tom Corey, but she finds herself drawn to his brother, Bartley. Bartley is a struggling artist who is passionate about his work, but he is not financially stable like Tom. Lydia must decide whether to marry Tom and secure her family's financial future, or follow her heart and be with Bartley. As Lydia struggles with her decision, she is also faced with the challenge of navigating the social expectations of her time. The novel explores themes of duty, love, and societal expectations, as well as the role of women in Victorian society. Overall, ""An Imperative Duty"" is a thought-provoking novel that offers a glimpse into the complexities of life in the late 19th century. It is a must-read for fans of classic literature and historical fiction.""They're not so very common, and they're not so very well ascertained. You find them mentioned in the books, but vaguely, and on a kind of hearsay, without the names of persons and places; it's a notion that some writers rather like to toy with; but when you come to boil it down, as the newspapers say, there isn't a great deal of absolute fact there.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.