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Chapter companions for The Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft by George Gissing.

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  1. Chapter 1

    The Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft

    Henry Ryecroft reflects on his newfound peace and contentment after receiving a legacy that allows him to leave London and live in a country cottage. He contrasts his past life of poverty and literary drudgery with his present solitude, finding joy in simple pleasures, reading, and contemplation. The chapter explores themes of aging, mortality, and the value of a quiet life away from modern materialism.

  2. Chapter 2

    Part I: Spring

    Ryecroft revels in the arrival of spring, contrasting his current peaceful life in the country with his former struggles in London. He reflects on the joy of reading, the beauty of nature, and the wisdom of age, finding contentment in solitude and simple pleasures.

  3. Chapter 3

    I

    Ryecroft reflects on the comfort and solace of his fireside on a stormy winter night, celebrating the open fire as a companion and inspiration, and contrasting it with modern heating. He acknowledges his age and frailty but finds deep contentment in his peaceful room, books, and the gentle sounds of the lamp and clock.

  4. Chapter 4

    II

    Ryecroft returns home at twilight, tired and cold, and reads by the fire. He notices the shift from firelight to fading daylight and reflects on how different lights symbolize different ways of reading poetry—one imaginative and sympathetic, the other literal and cold.

  5. Chapter 5

    III

    Ryecroft reflects on the joy of giving money away, a pleasure he could not afford in his days of poverty. He describes sending a cheque to a friend in need and contrasts his current freedom with the bitter constraints of his former life.

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  1. Chapter 6IV
  2. Chapter 7V
  3. Chapter 8VI
  4. Chapter 9VII
  5. Chapter 10VIII
  6. Chapter 11IX
  7. Chapter 12X
  8. Chapter 13XI
  9. Chapter 14XII
  10. Chapter 15XIII
  11. Chapter 16XIV
  12. Chapter 17The Bedstead of Odysseus
  13. Chapter 18XVI
  14. Chapter 19XVII
  15. Chapter 20XVIII
  16. Chapter 21XIX
  17. Chapter 22XX
  18. Chapter 23XXI
  19. Chapter 24XXII
  20. Chapter 25XXIII
  21. Chapter 26XXIV
  22. Chapter 27XXV
  23. Chapter 28Part II: Summer
  24. Chapter 29I
  25. Chapter 30II
  26. Chapter 31III
  27. Chapter 32IV
  28. Chapter 33V
  29. Chapter 34VI
  30. Chapter 35VII
  31. Chapter 36VIII
  32. Chapter 37IX
  33. Chapter 38X
  34. Chapter 39XI
  35. Chapter 40XII
  36. Chapter 41XIII
  37. Chapter 42XIV
  38. Chapter 43The Bedstead of Odysseus
  39. Chapter 44XVI
  40. Chapter 45XVII
  41. Chapter 46XVIII
  42. Chapter 47XIX
  43. Chapter 48XX
  44. Chapter 49XXI
  45. Chapter 50XXII
  46. Chapter 51XXIII
  47. Chapter 52XXIV
  48. Chapter 53XXV
  49. Chapter 54XXVI
  50. Chapter 55XXVII
  51. Chapter 56Part III: Autumn
  52. Chapter 57I
  53. Chapter 58II
  54. Chapter 59III
  55. Chapter 60IV
  56. Chapter 61V
  57. Chapter 62VI
  58. Chapter 63VII
  59. Chapter 64VIII
  60. Chapter 65IX
  61. Chapter 66X
  62. Chapter 67XI
  63. Chapter 68XII
  64. Chapter 69XIII
  65. Chapter 70XIV
  66. Chapter 71The Bedstead of Odysseus
  67. Chapter 72XVI
  68. Chapter 73XVII
  69. Chapter 74XVIII
  70. Chapter 75XIX
  71. Chapter 76XX
  72. Chapter 77XXI
  73. Chapter 78XXII
  74. Chapter 79XXIII
  75. Chapter 80XXIV
  76. Chapter 81XXV
  77. Chapter 82Part IV: Winter
  78. Chapter 83I
  79. Chapter 84II
  80. Chapter 85III
  81. Chapter 86IV
  82. Chapter 87V
  83. Chapter 88VI
  84. Chapter 89VII
  85. Chapter 90VIII
  86. Chapter 91IX
  87. Chapter 92X
  88. Chapter 93XI
  89. Chapter 94XII
  90. Chapter 95XIII
  91. Chapter 96XIV
  92. Chapter 97The Bedstead of Odysseus
  93. Chapter 98XVI
  94. Chapter 99XVII
  95. Chapter 100XVIII
  96. Chapter 101XIX
  97. Chapter 102XX
  98. Chapter 103XXI
  99. Chapter 104XXII
  100. Chapter 105XXIII
  101. Chapter 106XXIV
  102. Chapter 107XXV
  103. Chapter 108XXVI