# Adolphus Longestaffe — The Way We Live Now character guide

> Adolphus Longestaffe in The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Mr. Longestaffe, Longestaffe, old Mr. Longestaffe

**First appearance:** 0012-xiii-the-longestaffes

## Snapshot

The squire of Caversham, a conservative country gentleman who hands his affairs to Melmotte and then cannot bring himself to ask for the money.

## Who they are

Mr. Longestaffe is an old-fashioned landowner whose estates are encumbered and whose pride is enormous, and he has convinced himself that the great City conjuror Melmotte can boil his ruined fortunes back into freshness. He takes a seat on Melmotte's board, sells Pickering Park, and accepts shares paid for out of purchase money that never quite arrives, all because it seems vulgar to press a man like Melmotte for cash. His inability to demand what he is owed, and his son Dolly's determination to do exactly that, set up one of the novel's sharpest conflicts between old gentility and new finance.

## In the story

### [XIII: The Longestaffes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/xiii-the-longestaffes)

Visits Melmotte seeking financial relief, is refused a directorship, and feels his aristocratic pride wounded.

### [Everybody Goes to Them](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/xxi-everybody-goes-to-them)

Mr. Longestaffe delays the family's return to London, causing frustration and leading to Georgiana's decision to accept the Melmottes' invitation.

### [Melmotte's Glory](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/xxxv-melmotte-s-glory)

Sells Pickering Park to Melmotte, with the purchase money divided between him and his son.

### [Mr. Melmotte Is Pressed for Time](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/xlv-mr-melmotte-is-pressed-for-time)

Frequently meets Melmotte, agrees to a directorship and sale of Pickering, but is uneasy about the lack of ready money.

### [Mr. Squercum Is Employed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/lviii-mr-squercum-is-employed)

Father of Dolly; pressured by his son's investigation and writes a timid letter to Melmotte about the unpaid money.

### [Miss Longestaffe's Lover](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/lx-miss-longestaffe-s-lover)

Georgiana's father, a conservative who opposed Jewish emancipation and would be horrified by her engagement.

### [Mr. Melmotte on the Day of the Election](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/lxiii-mr-melmotte-on-the-day-of-the-election)

Mr. Longestaffe's study is used by Melmotte; Melmotte examines the lock on Longestaffe's locked desk drawer after destroying his own papers.

### [Miss Longestaffe Writes Home](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/lxv-miss-longestaffe-writes-home)

Furious to learn his daughter is engaged to a Jewish merchant, he forbids the match and takes Georgiana home to Caversham.

### [Marie's Fortune](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/lxxiii-marie-s-fortune)

Honest but troubled, he believes Dolly did not sign the letter and recalls finding his drawer unlocked in Melmotte's presence.

### [In Bruton Street](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/lxxv-in-bruton-street)

Frustrated with his son's obstinacy and the involvement of Squercum, he reluctantly agrees to the Friday meeting.

### [Another Scene in Bruton Street](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/lxxvii-another-scene-in-bruton-street)

Mentioned as having left the house earlier; Melmotte had promised to pay him and Dolly for the Pickering property.

### [Miss Longestaffe Again at Caversham](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/lxxviii-miss-longestaffe-again-at-caversham)

Forbids Georgiana's marriage to Brehgert, sees Mr. Brehgert privately, and sends Dolly's letter to Caversham to pressure his daughter.

### [The Brehgert Correspondence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/lxxix-the-brehgert-correspondence)

Georgiana's father, who has confronted Mr. Brehgert and insists on breaking off the match.

### [The Inquest](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/lxxxviii-the-inquest)

Deals with the financial fallout from Melmotte's death, including the management of his affairs by Mr. Brehgert, and decides to sell his London house and reduce household expenses.

### [The Longestaffe Marriages](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/xcv-the-longestaffe-marriages)

Absent in London dealing with Melmotte's affairs; returns only on the eve of Sophia's wedding, bringing Dolly.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/characters/adolphus_longestaffe
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/characters