The very first book by Georgette Heyer that I ever read was The Grand Sophy, written in 1950.  As in most of Miss Heyer's stories, there is more than one plot line and a secondary line in this one involves a young lady with two suitors.

The first aspirant to Miss Cecelia's hand is Lord Charlbury; a well off gentleman of impeccable character, a steady disposition and comfortable lifestyle.

The second would-be lover is Augustus Fawnhope; a remarkably beautiful, penniless young poet.

Naturally, Cecelia falls head over heels for Fawnhope.  He's wonderful to look at, speaks odes to her eyes and makes her feel like a fairy princess.  Beside Augustus, Charlbury seems old, plain and unbearably dull.

Because Sophy, who is not just grand, but wise, encourages Cecelia to spend as much time as possible with Fawnhope, it isn't very long before she realizes that while he is beautiful and romantic, he's also an absent minded flake with no visible means of supporting himself much less a wife and he not only can't be depended on to come in out of the rain or get her an umbrella, he is incapable of making dinner reservations, showing up for a planned outing on time or remembering the names of her siblings.  Not only that, but on a day to day basis, his dazzling looks are just too much and his constant stream of poetic nonsense becomes unbearable.

Beside Fawnhope, Charlbury, who at first seems too old and boring, begins to appear competent, dependable, charming and manly.

In the end, because she's not as foolish as she first appears, Cecelia chooses Charlbury.




If this plot seems familiar to you, it's because we've been watching it in this presidential campaign.

For anyone reading this who doesn't understand nuance (the liberals among us); Barack Obama is Augustus Fawnhope; he looks good and sounds good but the more we see of him the more we realize he is nothing but a fashionable fribble.  John McCain is too old and too dull but he may be exactly what the doctor ordered.

 

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