Lyre and Lancet: A Story in Scenes

"Lyre and Lancet: A Story in Scenes" by F. Anstey is a novel that takes place in England around the late 1800's The story follows the lives of a wealthy family, including Sir Rupert Culverin, as they deal with the daily dramas of their social circle; the novel kicks off on a rainy Saturday morning with Sir Rupert in his study when his wife, Lady Culverin, comes in to talk about their guests, especially her sister-in-law, Rohesia, and the poet she invited, Clarion Blair; there is a lot of discussion about how people should act and the personalities of the guests, pointing out that the arrival of the poet will likely cause some issues at Wyvern Court; as the characters come together, the plot explores social roles, who the characters really are as people, and the problems that come up when people with different viewpoints come together in a fancy setting, promising a mix of both trouble and comedy.

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.