The World Before Them: A Novel. Volume 1 (of 3): Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The World Before Them: A Novel. Volume 1 (of 3): author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

The World Before Them: A Novel. Volume 1 (of 3) is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Moodie, Susanna (1803–1885).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The World Before Them: A Novel. Volume 1" by Susanna Moodie is a historical fiction novel written in the late 19th century. The story centers around Dorothy Chance, a young girl adopted by the Rushmere family after being found as an orphan. The narrative explores themes of love, social class, and the conflict between personal desires and family loyalty, particularly as Dorothy navigates her feelings for Gilbert Rushmere against the backdrop of his father's disapproval. The opening of the novel establishes a tense love story between Dorothy and Gilbert, who are deeply in love but face significant opposition from Gilbert's father, Lawrence Rushmere. After a heated argument, Dorothy, feeling the weight of her humble origins as the daughter of an unknown woman, promises not to marry Gilbert without his father's consent, leading to a painful conflict in their relationship. The scene unfolds with rich descriptions of the rural setting, evoking a deep sense of place and highlighting Dorothy’s internal struggles as she weighs her love for Gilbert against her loyalty to the family that raised her. As tensions escalate within the family, Dorothy’s sense of belonging is challenged, setting the stage for her eventual departure from the only home she has known.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The World Before Them: A Novel. Volume 1 (of 3)
- Author credits: Moodie, Susanna (1803–1885)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Historical Novels
- Category: Novels
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.


