Ernest Jones: 'Woman's Wrongs.'

"We have . . . . mounted the ladder of society from step to step, to trace some of the various phases of ill that afflict woman in the different spheres of life . . . . In these books we have not merely sought to amuse; we present them to the reader as a psychological and social study. There you have seen what society makes us. But we, too, make society . . . . ."

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Editorial notes:

This edition of Women's Wrongs is compiled from Jones's NOTES TO THE PEOPLE, a radical newspaper that closed in 1852 before Women's Wrongs had been published in full, thus Book IV. of the set is incomplete. However, in 1855 Jones republished Woman's Wrongs in an extended 'penny issue' form and this complete edition of his novel is now available as "Chartist Fiction. Volume 2: Ernest Jones, Woman's Wrongs", edited by Ian Haywood (ISBN 978-0-7546-0303-0).

Readers who find the first two books of Jones' novel of interest might wish to refer to J. J. Bezer's The Autobiography of One of the Chartist Rebels of 1848, which paints from direct experience a similar picture of working-class hardship in Victorian London.

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Woman's Wrongs.

A NOVEL.—IN FOUR BOOKS.

INTRODUCTION

I.—THE WORKING-MAN'S WIFE.

1.—CHILDBIRTH OF THE POOR.

2.—AN EMPLOYER.

3.—A NIGHT SCENE.

4.—TEMPTATION.

5.—A NIGHT ROBBERY.

6.—THE ASSIZES.

7.—THE RESULTS.

8.—THE HALF-WAY HOUSE.

9.—CATHERINE.

10.—A CAPTURE.

11.—AN EXECUTION.

II.—THE YOUNG MILLINER.

1.—A GARRET.

2.—A SUNSET.

3.—OPPOSITE NEIGHBOURS.

4.—ACQUAINTANCE.

5.—REVENGE.

6.—A LAST EFFORT.

7.—A WANDERER.

8.—THE FALL.

9.—THE WAKING.

10.—LOVE'S SUMMER.

11.—THE VISIT.

12.—MORALITY.

13.—THE HOSPITAL.

14.—THE STUDY.

III.—THE TRADESMAN'S DAUGHTER.

1.—THE SHOP.

2.—THE QUAY.

3.—THE PARLOUR.

4.—SUNDAY.

5.—TRANSITION.

6.—A DAY IN THE COUNTRY.

7.—MARRIAGE.

8.—REVELATION.

9.—THE LITERARY THIEF.

10.—SOLITUDE.

11.—PILGRIMAGE.

12.—THE MEETING AND PARTING.

IV.—THE LADY OF TITLE.

PART I.—GIRLHOOD.

1.—INTRODUCTION.

2.—THE DANCE AND THE THUNDER.

3.—THE KEY TO THE FUTURE.

4.—THE STEPS OF TRIAL.

THE WOMAN.

THE MEN.

RELATIONS.

5.—THE LAST EFFORT.

PART II.—MARRIAGE.

1. — THE CHILD.