The Top 10 Short Stories - The 18th Century: The top ten short stories written in the 18th century

Written by Jonathan Swift

Narrated by Richard Mitchley

Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. A few pages can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere.

In this series we try to offer up tried and trusted ‘Top Tens’ across many different themes and authors. But any anthology will immediately throw up the questions – Why that story? Why that author?

The theme itself will form the boundaries for our stories which range from well-known classics, newly told, to stories that modern times have overlooked but perfectly exemplify the theme. Throughout the volume our authors whether of instant recognition or new to you are all leviathans of literature.

Some you may disagree with but they will get you thinking; about our choices and about those you would have made. If this volume takes you on a path to discover more of these miniature masterpieces then we have all gained something.

This century of literature reveals bold strides in the art of story telling. Characters and narratives begin a wonderful journey that express themselves on a wider canvas, a more global landscape. The people and the societies they represent are easily recognisable in our more modern times.

01 - The Top 10 - The 18th Century - An Introduction

2 - Directions to Servants by Jonathan Swift

3 - Jeannot and Colin by Voltaire

4 - The Apparition of Mrs Veal by Daniel Defoe

5 - The New Paris by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

6 - The Female Husband by Henry Fielding

7 - The White Pigeon by Maria Edgeworth

8 - The Criminal from Lost Honour by Friedrich Schiller

9 - The Story of Sir Bertrand by Anna Laetitia Barbauld

10 - Betty Brown, the St Giles Orange Girl by Hannah More

11 - Fantomina or Love in a Maze - Part 1 by Eliza Haywood

12 - Fantomina or Love in a Maze - Part 2 by Eliza Haywood

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Copyright Group
• Release date: Jan 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781803545318

Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) was an Irish poet and satirical writer. When the spread of Catholicism in Ireland became prevalent, Swift moved to England, where he lived and worked as a writer. Due to the controversial nature of his work, Swift often wrote under pseudonyms. In addition to his poetry and satirical prose, Swift also wrote for political pamphlets and since many of his works provided political commentary this was a fitting career stop for Swift. When he returned to Ireland, he was ordained as a priest in the Anglican church. Despite this, his writings stirred controversy about religion and prevented him from advancing in the clergy.