Overview

The Young Visiters or Mister Salteena's Plan is a 1919 novel by English writer Daisy Ashford (1881-1972). She wrote it in 1890 when she was nine years old and part of its appeal lies in its juvenile innocence, and its unconventional grammar and spelling. A great success, it sold around half a million copies during the twentieth century and has been adapted for film, television, and as both a stage play and a musical. PlotAlfred Salteena, an ""elderly man of 42"", has invited 17-year-old Ethel Monticue to stay with him. They receive an invitation to visit Alfred's friend, Bernard Clark, which they readily accept. Bernard is ""inclined to be rich"". Shortly after their arrival, Ethel and Bernard become attracted to each other. Alfred seeks Bernard's advice on how to become a gentleman. Bernard is doubtful that this can be managed, but writes an introduction to his friend the Earl of Clincham. Alfred excitedly rushes off to London to visit the Earl, leaving Ethel alone and unchaperoned with Bernard. Lord Clincham lives, as many other aristocrats do, in ""compartements"" at the Crystal Palace. He agrees to assist Alfred and instals him in a subterranean ""compartement"", along with other ""apprentice gentlemen"". He invites Alfred to accompany him to a reception hosted by the Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII), introducing Salteena as Lord Hyssops. The Prince is impressed, and promises to assist the trembling and overjoyed Salteena. Bernard and Ethel fall in love and marry. Devastated by these events, Salteena marries a maid-in-waiting at Buckingham Palace. Lord Clincham also marries, but not very happily.

Full Product Details

9791043139406

Table of Contents

Reviews

Daisy Ashford was just nine years old when she penned (or rather, penciled) The Young Visiters in her notebook. As an adult, she found the manuscript along with other childhood writings and showed them to her literary friends for a laugh. They were so delighted that they passed them around their circle. The unexpected result was a publishing deal, with J. M. Barrie, creator of Peter Pan, writing the preface. So clever was the book that some assumed Barrie himself had written the entire thing as an elaborate hoax.The story's ""hero"" is Alfred Salteena, a polite but bumbling man who hopes to learn the ways of the elite. He is in love with a younger woman, Ethel, but a love triangle with his friend Bernard soon emerges. The characters attend ""sumshious"" balls, stay in lavish ""compartments,"" and wear elaborate ""get ups,"" all of it rendered in Ashford's original childish spelling. The story reads like a pastiche of high society and even a parody of the Victorian novel.The Young Visiters was published in 1919 and was reprinted eighteen times in that year alone. It has been adapted into a play, a musical, and multiple film versions. Ashford's other juvenile writings were later published, including The Hangman's Daughter, a short novel she considered her finest work. As an adult, she did not continue to write.

Author Information

Tab Content 6

Countries Available