Dorothea Gerard

The long-forgotten novel that inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The heroine of the story, Gretchen, is a practical-minded German girl, who considers marriage an economic proposition and is determined to marry a man of wealth. When Gretchen’s father is seriously injured in an accident, the family sets off to Transylvania, to the Baths of Hercules, in hopes that the waters of Hercules, known for their curative powers, will rehabilitate him. Her father tells Gretchen of a mysterious place in the surrounding forest, known as Gaura Dracului (the Devil’s Pit) and legends of a treasure associated with it inspire Gretchen to consider another way to make her fortune, so that she can marry any man of her choosing. Written by sisters Emily and Dorothea Gerard, The Water of Hercules is a Victorian novel, filled with Gothic suspense. This beautiful edition, with original illustrations by acclaimed artist Phoebe Cho, should be of great interest to all fans of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. With an introduction by A.K. Brackob, a specialist in the history of Eastern Europe, The Waters of Hercules is sure to entertain and delight.

The Waters of Hercules is a long-forgotten novel with close ties to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The heroine of the story, Gretchen, is an intelligent young German woman, who distinguished herself in school by winning the prix de logique. A very practical-minded girl, Gretchen, influenced by her Italian friend, Belita, considers marriage an economic proposition and is determined to marry a man of wealth. When the decent, respectable family lawyer Vincenz Komers, a man of modest means, seeks her hand in marriage, she rejects him, not once, but twice. When Gretchen’s father is seriously injured in an accident, the family sets off to Transylvania, to the Baths of Hercules (Baile Herculane in modern Romania, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), in hopes that the waters of Hercules, known for their curative powers, will rehabilitate her ailing father. Her father, Adalbert, tells his daughter of a mysterious place in the surrounding forest, known as Gaura Dracului (the Devil’s Pit) that he had discovered during a visit to the valley years earlier, but the location of which is now a mystery. Hercules, considered the god of the Valley, is said to have sworn that the pit would receive a sacrifice of human blood once every century. The legends of a mysterious treasure associated with Gaura Dracului inspires Gretchen to consider another way to make her fortune, so that she can marry any man of her choosing. Her efforts are redoubled when the long-expected inheritance of a family estate proves illusory. As Gretchen relentlessly pursues the secrets of Gaura Dracului and the hidden treasure it is said to hold, she is courted by the handsome, wealthy, and debonair Baron IstvÁn Tolnay, called the King of the Valley, who could provide the financial security that both she and her family seek. Aided by the Baron, Vincenz, her brother Kurt, and others, she sets out to find the mysterious bottomless pit in the nearby Transylvanian mountain forest. Will Gretchen discover the elusive Gaura Dracului? Will its secrets finally be revealed? Will Gretchen find the lost treasure? Or will she achieve financial security for herself and her family by marrying the wealthy Baron? Written by sisters Emily and Dorothea Girard, The Water of Hercules is a Victorian novel, filled with Gothic suspense. This beautiful edition, with original illustrations by acclaimed artist Phoebe Cho, should be of great interest to all fans of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, as well as anyone interested in classic works of nineteenth century literature. With an introduction by noted historian A.K. Brackob, a specialist in the history of Eastern Europe, The Waters of Hercules is sure to entertain and delight.

Title: A Spotless Reputation.Publisher: British Library, Historical Print EditionsThe British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. It is one of the world's largest research libraries holding over 150 million items in all known languages and formats: books, journals, newspapers, sound recordings, patents, maps, stamps, prints and much more. Its collections include around 14 million books, along with substantial additional collections of manuscripts and historical items dating back as far as 300 BC.The GENERAL HISTORICAL collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. This varied collection includes material that gives readers a 19th century view of the world. Topics include health, education, economics, agriculture, environment, technology, culture, politics, labour and industry, mining, penal policy, and social order. ++++The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++ British Library Gerard, Dorothea; 1897. 443 p.; 8 . 012625.de.46.

Title: A Queen of Curds and Cream. A novel ... Second edition.Publisher: British Library, Historical Print EditionsThe British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. It is one of the world's largest research libraries holding over 150 million items in all known languages and formats: books, journals, newspapers, sound recordings, patents, maps, stamps, prints and much more. Its collections include around 14 million books, along with substantial additional collections of manuscripts and historical items dating back as far as 300 BC.The FICTION & PROSE LITERATURE collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The collection provides readers with a perspective of the world from some of the 18th and 19th century's most talented writers. Written for a range of audiences, these works are a treasure for any curious reader looking to see the world through the eyes of ages past. Beyond the main body of works the collection also includes song-books, comedy, and works of satire. ++++The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++ British Library Gerard, Dorothea; 1892. 3 vol.; 8 . 012637.e.13.

Title: On the Way through, and other tales.Publisher: British Library, Historical Print EditionsThe British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. It is one of the world's largest research libraries holding over 150 million items in all known languages and formats: books, journals, newspapers, sound recordings, patents, maps, stamps, prints and much more. Its collections include around 14 million books, along with substantial additional collections of manuscripts and historical items dating back as far as 300 BC.The FICTION & PROSE LITERATURE collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The collection provides readers with a perspective of the world from some of the 18th and 19th century's most talented writers. Written for a range of audiences, these works are a treasure for any curious reader looking to see the world through the eyes of ages past. Beyond the main body of works the collection also includes song-books, comedy, and works of satire. ++++The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++ British Library Gerard, Dorothea; 1892. 283 p.; 8 . 012634.i.14.

Title: A Queen of Curds and Cream. A novel ... Second edition.Publisher: British Library, Historical Print EditionsThe British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. It is one of the world's largest research libraries holding over 150 million items in all known languages and formats: books, journals, newspapers, sound recordings, patents, maps, stamps, prints and much more. Its collections include around 14 million books, along with substantial additional collections of manuscripts and historical items dating back as far as 300 BC.The FICTION & PROSE LITERATURE collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The collection provides readers with a perspective of the world from some of the 18th and 19th century's most talented writers. Written for a range of audiences, these works are a treasure for any curious reader looking to see the world through the eyes of ages past. Beyond the main body of works the collection also includes song-books, comedy, and works of satire. ++++The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++ British Library Gerard, Dorothea; 1892. 3 vol.; 8 . 012637.e.13.

Title: Recha.Publisher: British Library, Historical Print EditionsThe British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. It is one of the world's largest research libraries holding over 150 million items in all known languages and formats: books, journals, newspapers, sound recordings, patents, maps, stamps, prints and much more. Its collections include around 14 million books, along with substantial additional collections of manuscripts and historical items dating back as far as 300 BC.The FICTION & PROSE LITERATURE collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The collection provides readers with a perspective of the world from some of the 18th and 19th century's most talented writers. Written for a range of audiences, these works are a treasure for any curious reader looking to see the world through the eyes of ages past. Beyond the main body of works the collection also includes song-books, comedy, and works of satire. ++++The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++ British Library Gerard, Dorothea; 1890. 273 p.; 8 . 012631.f.22.

Title: The Rich Miss Riddell.Publisher: British Library, Historical Print EditionsThe British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. It is one of the world's largest research libraries holding over 150 million items in all known languages and formats: books, journals, newspapers, sound recordings, patents, maps, stamps, prints and much more. Its collections include around 14 million books, along with substantial additional collections of manuscripts and historical items dating back as far as 300 BC.The GENERAL HISTORICAL collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. This varied collection includes material that gives readers a 19th century view of the world. Topics include health, education, economics, agriculture, environment, technology, culture, politics, labour and industry, mining, penal policy, and social order. ++++The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++ British Library Gerard, Dorothea; 1894. 293 p.; 8 . 012630.f.46.

Dorothea Gerard (1855–1915) was a British novelist specialising in romances. A prolific writer, she often dealt with controversial and unconventional topics. In 1886, while living with her sister in the Austrian province of Galicia, she married the Austrian military officer Julius Longard de Longgarde, and remained a resident of the Austrian Empire for the rest of her life. This volume, first published in 1913, contains Gerard's study of the officer class of the Austrian Imperial Army. She indicates the historical background of the development of the Austrian army, together with a detailed description of the life of contemporary Imperial officers. The book provides fascinating insights into how the myriad constituent nationalities of the Austrian Empire became a cohesive military force and distinct social class within the Empire. For more information on this author, see http://orlando.cambridge.org/public/svPeople?person_id=gerado