Coelebs In Search of a Wife

by Hannah More

"Coelebs In Search of a Wife" by Hannah More is a novel published in 1808. A wealthy young bachelor named Coelebs seeks a bride who can meet the strict moral standards set by his late mother. The novel combined storytelling with religious instruction, becoming the first nineteenth-century novel embraced by religious readers who previously viewed fiction as disreputable. Its popularity marked a turning point in making novels acceptable to conservative audiences, though modern critics consider it notably difficult to read.