Written by the prolific Victorian author Catherine Gore, best known for her novels about high society, "Sketches of English Character "is a reaction to what she saw as the lack of individuality in society. In a series of witty and observant short stories, she describes what she believes to be the stereotypical figures of Victorian life. From the interfering Chaperon getting in the way of the Debutante's romantic expectations, to the overblown pomposity of the family butler, who runs the household with an iron fist but ingratiates himself with the master, Gore brings to life in an engaging and entertaining manner the characters that best denote her generation of Englishmen and women. This is the second volume of two, containing sketches of the "Lady Patroness, " the "Optimist and the Pessimist, " and the "Lady-Killer.