"Coelebs In Search of a Wife" by Hannah More is a novel published in 1808. A wealthy young bachelor named Coelebs seeks a bride who can meet the strict moral standards set by his late mother. The novel combined storytelling with religious instruction, becoming the first nineteenth-century novel embraced by religious readers who previously viewed fiction as disreputable. Its popularity marked a turning point in making novels acceptable to conservative audiences, though modern critics consider it notably difficult to read. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
These books are free to read. Each is in the public domain in the United States; check your own country's rules before you copy or share one.
