Daisy Ashford: Her Book

At nine years old, Daisy Ashford did what most writers never accomplish in a lifetime: she finished a novel. But "The Young Visiters" is no ordinary first effort. Written in 1890 but not published until 1919, when Ashford was in her thirties, it arrived with an introduction by J.M. Barrie and became an instant bestseller across the English-speaking world. What makes this book remarkable is not precocity in the usual sense, but something stranger: a child who genuinely understood how adults see the world, even as she hilariously misunderstood how the world actually works. The story follows the romance between the young butler Mr. Salteena and the aristocratic Ethel Mont, with dukes and earls having "levies" and residing in the "Crystall Pallace." Through Ashford's preserved misspellings and guileless narrative voice, we see adult society refracted through an innocence that somehow captures something true about love, status, and the performances we call courtship. The book endures because it works on multiple levels: as a period piece of post-WWI nostalgia, as accidental social satire, and as a remarkable artifact of childhood imagination.
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“This is agony cried Mr Salteena clutching hold of a table my life will be sour grapes and ashes without you.””
— Daisy Ashford
“We must go for a day in the country and when surrounded by the gay twittering of the birds and the smell of the cows I will lay my suit at her feet and he waved his arm wildly at the gay thought.””
— Daisy Ashford
“Bernard placed one arm tightly round her. When will you marry me Ethel he uttered you must be my wife it has come to that I love you so intensly that if you say no I shall perforce dash my body to the brink of yon muddy river he panted wildly.””
— Daisy Ashford
“Oh Bernard she sighed fervently I certinly love you madly you are to me like a Heathen god she cried looking at his manly form and handsome flashing face I will indeed marry you.””
— Daisy Ashford
“i see said the duke but my own idear is that these things are as piffle before the wind [from memory...]””
— Daisy Ashford
“Next morning while imbibing his morning tea beneath his pink silken quilt Bernard decided he must marry Ethel with no more delay.””
— Daisy Ashford
“They all went out by a private door and found themselves in a smaller but gorgous room. The Prince tapped on the table and instantly two menials in red tunics appeared. Bring three glasses of champaigne commanded the prince and some ices he added majestikally. The goods appeared as if by majic and the prince drew out a cigar case and passed it round.One grows weary of Court Life he remarked.Ah yes agreed the earl.It upsets me said the prince lapping up his strawberry ice all I want is peace and quiut and a little fun and here I am tied down to this life he said taking off his crown being royal has many painfull drawbacks.””
— Daisy Ashford
“I shall put some red ruge on my face said Ethel because I am very pale owing to the drains in this house.””
— Daisy Ashford
“Be a man said Ethel in a quiet whisper and I shall always think of you in a warm manner.””
— Daisy Ashford
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Ashford, Daisy. Daisy Ashford: Her Book. Lex, lex-books.com/book/daisy-ashford-her-book-3d4a0481-a219-4474-a1e9-6f7a87662b0f.Ashford, D. (n.d.). Daisy Ashford: Her Book. Lex. https://lex-books.com/book/daisy-ashford-her-book-3d4a0481-a219-4474-a1e9-6f7a87662b0fAshford, Daisy. Daisy Ashford: Her Book. Lex. https://lex-books.com/book/daisy-ashford-her-book-3d4a0481-a219-4474-a1e9-6f7a87662b0f.






