The Twins (ePub)

Martin Farquhar Tupper (1810-1889) was an English writer, poet, and philosopher, best known for his didactic moralizing in a prosaic style, which, while widely popular in his time, later fell out of favor due to its perceived preachiness and lack of literary sophistication. Born in London to a well-established family, Tupper studied at Christ Church, Oxford, where he achieved a double first-class degree. His literary career was marked by the phenomenal success of 'Proverbial Philosophy' (1838), a long series of didactic moral essays which were presented in a series of couplets. This work, according his contemporaries, was esteemed for its pithy wisdom and was translated into several languages, embedding Tupper's thoughts within a broad international reader community. While 'Proverbial Philosophy' is his most recognized work, Tupper also wrote a variety of other material, including the book 'The Twins', a narrative explore the lives and moral challenges of two siblings. Though less known, 'The Twins' and further works displayed Tupper's consistent themes of moral instruction and reflection. In the post-Victorian reappraisal of literature, Tupper's works have often been critiqued for their lack of artistic flare and have largely been relegated to the status of an historical curiosity in the annals of 19th-century literature. Nevertheless, his impact on Victorian culture and the middle-class reading public of the time was substantial, and his work offers insight into the moral and philosophical preoccupations of his era.