The Tinted Venus: A Farcical Romance

"The Tinted Venus: A Farcical Romance" by F. Anstey is a humorous novel set in the late 1800s, that follows Leander Tweddle, a hairdresser whose life turns upside down when a statue of Aphrodite comes to life, throwing him into a series of funny and confusing events related to love and relationships. As Leander prepares for a day out with his friend and their girlfriends, including his secret fiancée Matilda and the spirited Ada Parkinson, the stage is set for a series of comic mishaps. Their visit to the Rosherwich Gardens leads to surprising twists, chiefly Leander's unexpected connection with the Aphrodite statue, promising readers a light, laughter-filled adventure through romantic mix-ups as the characters face rich humorous and romantic problems.

Thomas Anstey Guthrie was an English writer, most noted for his comic novel Vice Versa about a boarding-school boy and his father exchanging identities. His reputation was confirmed by The Tinted Venus and many humorous parodies in Punch magazine.