Mrs. O'Dowd at the Flower Market

William Makepeace Thackeray

Wood engraving

c.1861

Illustration for Thackeray's own Vanity Fair

Passage illustrated: "You should see the flowers at Glenmalony," Mrs O'Dowd was remarking. "Me fawther has three Scotch garners with nine helpers. We have an acre of hot-houses, and pines as common as pays in the sayson. Our greeps weighs six pounds every bunch of'em, and upon me honour and conscience I think our magnolias is as big as taykettles" (Chapter 2).

(Note how Thackeray managed to show class differentiation within Victorian society).

Image scanned by Gerald Ajam and captions by Tiaw Kay Siang and Sabrina Lim.