Hermsprong: or, Man as He is Not

A radical outsider, a fearless heroine and a society laid bare

Volume I of a three-volume edition

First published in 1796, Robert Bage's Hermsprong; or, Man as He is Not is a daring novel of social satire and progressive thought. Hermsprong, an American-raised gentleman untouched by Britain's rigid class system, confronts the corruption, pretension and hypocrisy of the English elite.

At the centre of the story is Maria Fluart, one of the most striking heroines of the age. Witty, outspoken and ...