Historical Fiction Webb, Mary: Precious Bane, LIT v1, 13 July 2009.

[Patricia]

Mary Webb (1881–1927)
Precious Bane (1924)

Set in a Shropshire village, shortly after the Napoleonic Wars, this is the story of Prue Sarn, a girl regarded with suspicion because of a harelip. Her brother, Gideon, a young farmer, is determined to make a fortune, despite her warnings about the dangers of the “precious bane.” His ambitions lead to tragedy. Will Prue ever find happiness?

The title of the story is a quotation from John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’:

‘Let none admire
That riches grow in Hell; that Soyle may best
Deserve the precious bane.’

The cover is an image of the Shropshire hills.

This work is assumed to be in the Life+70 public domain OR the copyright holder has given specific permission for distribution. Copyright laws differ throughout the world, and it may still be under copyright in some countries. Before downloading, please check your country's copyright laws. If the book is under copyright in your country, do not download or redistribute this work.

To report a copyright violation you can contact us here.