George Meredith, OM (1828 -1909) was an English novelist and poet of the Victorian era. He had a keen understanding of comedy and his Essay on Comedy (1877) remains a reference work in the history of comic theory. In The Egoist, published in 1879, he applies some of his theories of comedy in one of his most enduring novels. Some of his writings, including The Egoist, also highlight the subjugation of women during the Victorian period. His first successful novel was Diana of the Crossways published in 1885. In this book: The Egoist Diana of the Crossways The Ordeal of Richard Feverel