Orley Farm
1861
Orley Farm is a realist novel by Anthony Trollope, first published in 1861. The story revolves around Lady Mason and her son Lucius, who faces a legal battle over the inheritance of Orley Farm, contested by his half-brother Joseph. The narrative delves into themes of justice, morality, and the complexities of English social life, particularly regarding inheritance and family dynamics. Notably, Trollope regarded this work as his personal favorite, and it features one of the most acclaimed depictions of a lawsuit in English literature.
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“Nobody holds a good opinion of a man who holds a low opinion of himself.””
— Anthony Trollope
“That fighting of a battle without belief is, I think, the sorriest task which ever falls to the lot of any man.””
— Anthony Trollope
“There is nothing perhaps so generally consoling to a man as a well-established grievance; a feeling of having been injured, on which his mind can brood from hour to hour, allowing him to plead his own cause in his own court, within his own heart,”
— Anthony Trollope
“You are quite wrong about him," Felix had said. "He has not been atan English school, or English university, and therefore is not like other young men that you know; but he is, I think, well educated and clever. As for conceit, what man will do any good who is notconceited? Nobody holds a good opinion of a man who has a low opinionof himself.""All the same, my dear fellow, I do not like Lucius Mason.””
— Anthony Trollope
“After that I met that lawyer in the street, and was ashamed to look him in the face. I'm blessed if he didn't come up and shake hands with me, and tell me that he knew all along that his client hadn't a leg to stand on. Now I call that beautiful." "Beautiful!" said Kenneby. "Yes, I do. He fought that battle just as if he was sure of winning, though he knew he was going to lose. Give me the man that can fight a losing battle. Anybody can play whist with four by honours in his own hands.””
— Anthony Trollope
