Devereux

Edward Bulwer-Lytton's Devereux is an autobiographical romance that fuses memoir, history, and psychological drama into a vivid portrait of a life shaped by ambition, love, irony, and loss. In its self-conscious preface, the author explains his youthful philosophical aims, his desire to portray the inner life of character, and his belief that historical figures such as Bolingbroke, Louis XIV, Peter the Great, and the Regent Orleans should be judged within the spirit of their own age. He frames the novel as both a personal record and a bridge between past and present, addressed warmly to a friend and future readers alike. The story itself follows Morton Devereux, a worldly observer whose private passions unfold against the great currents of history. From the proud Devereux family and the eccentric, affectionate Sir William to the household's religious and educational tensions, the narrative blends satire, domestic life, and social observation. It then deepens into romance as Morton and Isora confront danger, vow fidelity, and briefly taste happiness before masked intruders shatter their bridal peace and Isora is killed. The aftermath brings madness, suspicion, and a search for truth amid stolen evidence, elusive suspects, and the corrosive uncertainty of betrayal. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.