The Novel of the White Powder
The novel follows the story of a mysterious white powder that is discovered in a London chemist's shop. The powder has strange and powerful effects on those who take it, and soon the whole city is in a state of panic. The novel follows the story of a group of people who are drawn into the mystery of the powder, and the strange and terrifying events that follow. As the story progresses, the characters discover the true nature of the powder and the dark forces behind it. The novel is a classic example of Victorian horror, and is considered to be one of Machen's best works. It is a gripping and suspenseful story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
By Arthur Machen · First published 1905 · Genre: Mystery, Horror, Fantasy · 6,859 words
First lines
My name is Leicester; my father, Major-General Wyn Leicester, a distinguished officer of artillery, succumbed five years ago to a complicated liver complaint acquired in the deadly climate of India. A year later my only brother, Francis, came home after an exceptionally brilliant career at the University, and settled down with the resolution of a hermit to master what has been well called the great legend of the law. He was a man who seemed to live in utter indifference to everything that is called pleasure; and though he was handsomer than most men, and could talk as merrily and wittily as if he were a mere vagabond, he avoided society, and shut himself up in a large room at the top of the house to make himself a lawyer. Ten hours a day of hard reading was at first his allotted portion; from the first light in the east to the late afternoon he remained shut up with his books, taking a hasty half-hour's lunch with me as if he grudged the wasting of the moments, and going out for a short walk when it began to grow dusk. I thought that such relentless application must be injurious, and tried to cajole him from the crabbed textbooks, but his ardour seemed to grow rather than diminish, and his daily tale of hours increased. I spoke to him seriously, suggesting some occasional relaxation, if it were but an idle afternoon with a harmless novel; but he laughed, and said that he read about feudal tenures when he felt in need of amusement, and scoffed at the notions of theatres, or a month's fresh air. I confessed that he looked well, and seemed not to suffer from his labours, but I knew that such unnatural toil would take revenge at last, and I was not mistaken. A look of anxiety began to lurk about his eyes, and he seemed languid, and at last he avowed that he was no longer in perfect health; he was troubled, he said, with a sensation of dizziness, and awoke now and then of nights from fearful dreams, terrified and cold with icy sweats. "I am taking care of myself," he said, "so you must not trouble; I passed the whole of yesterday afternoon in idleness, leaning back in that comfortable chair you gave me, and scribbling nonsense on a sheet of paper. No, no; I will not overdo my work; I shall be well enough in a week or two, depend upon it."
What this Textopian page supports
The Novel of the White Powder is listed on Textopian as a novel by Arthur Machen, dated 1905 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Arthur Machen
- Date: 1905 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mystery, Horror, Fantasy, Literary Fiction
- Length: 6,859 words
- Structure: 1 section, 214 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Novel of the White Powder by Arthur Machen
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Mystery — The title of the book implies a mysterious element, and the plot follows a protagonist's investigation into a mysterious white powder.
- Horror — The book contains elements of horror, such as the protagonist's fear of the unknown and the supernatural elements of the story.
- Fantasy — The book contains elements of fantasy, such as the mysterious white powder and the supernatural elements of the story.
- Literary Fiction — The book is written in a literary style, with complex characters and themes, and is considered a classic of the genre.
Tags
Fantasy · Horror · Supernatural Fiction · Weird Fiction · answer · awful · black · brother · burning · called · day · doctor