The British Barbarians

"The British Barbarians" by Grant Allen is a late 19th-century novel that invites us into Victorian England, following Philip Christy, a civil servant, as his life intersects with Bertram Ingledew, a mysterious "Alien". The book is a "Hill-top Novel," one that champions virtue amidst questionable stories. Through their interactions, the narrative contrasts the artificiality of city life with the perceived innocence of the natural world. As Christy grapples to understand Ingledew’s peculiar views on money and customs, the novel cleverly explores deeper themes of societal expectations, challenges the boundaries of acceptability, and questions the essence of morality in a world obsessed with appearances.