Portraits of the English, Volume V: Working Lives

This volume contains selections from Heads of the People, a two-volume set (published in 1840) that portrays "the many faces of the English with their faults as well as their virtues." Detailed essays introduce the reader to a postman, a linen-draper's assistant, a factory child, an undertaker, and an auctioneer. These character sketches, that reflect the values of their times, along with glimpses of daily life (including vivid descriptions of everything from attire to working conditions), are presented in an entertaining narrative style that keeps the pages turning. The chapters reproduced in this volume provide a fascinating view of working class life during the early years of Queen Victoria's reign. Charming period illustrations enhance the text.