Longsword
Illustration from the 1790 edition of the novel.
AuthorThomas Leland
LanguageEnglish
GenreHistorical
Publication date
1762
Media typePrint

Longsword by the Irish writer Thomas Leland, is a medieval romance based on the life of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury, the son of Henry II.[1] Published in 1762, in 1767 it was adapted into a play The Countess of Salisbury.[2]

Longsword contains "...mystery, dark dungeons, shipwrecks, abducted damsels, evil monks, and heartless villains",[3] Although titled Longsword, Earl of Salisbury: An Historical Romance, Albert Power views it as the "cornerstone" of the Irish Gothic novel as well.[1][4]

References

  1. ^ a b Power, Albert. "Thomas Leland (1722-1785)", The Green Book: Writings on Irish Gothic, Supernatural and Fantastic Literature, no. 13, 2019, pp. 14–20. JSTOR
  2. ^ Bond & Sherburn p.1037
  3. ^ "Thomas Leland (1722-85)", Ricorso
  4. ^ "...some would argue that Thomas Leland's Longsword, Earl of Salisbury (1762) -subtitled "A Historical Romance"-is really the first Gothic novel". Norton, Rictor. Gothic Readings : the first wave, 1764-1840. London. Leicester University Press, 2000. ISBN 0718502167 (p.1)

Bibliography


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