The Reverent Wooing of Archibald
Encyclopedia
"The Reverent Wooing of Archibald" is a short story
by British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse
, being a part of the Mr Mulliner
series and related to the Drones Club
series. It features Archibald Mulliner, the sock collector who can mimic a hen laying an egg, and his love Aurelia Cammarleigh. Its was first published in the August 1928 issue of UK
literary magazine Strand
, and first appeared in the U.S.
in the September 1928 issue of Cosmopolitan
. It was collected in the 1929 book Mr Mulliner Speaking
. A TV adaptation was aired on BBC One
's Comedy Playhouse
in 1974.
, about his nephew Archibald Mulliner and his love for Aurelia Cammarleigh. The two next are "Archibald and the Masses" and "The Code of the Mulliners", both collected in Young Men in Spats
(1936)
"The Reverent Wooing of Archibald" has been adapted on TV by BBC One
for the sitcom anthology Comedy Playhouse
, as a homonymous 30 minutes episode, aired 9 July 1974.
, drinking a hot Scotch
and lemon, interrupts to disagree with his companions, conjecturing that, because young men had such fear of proposing to queenly women, their disappearance was Nature's method of ensuring that they continued to propagage. He had become convinced that this was the case upon observing the behavior of his nephew Archibald Mulliner when he was in love with Aurelia Cammarleigh.
Archibald first saw Miss Cammarleigh from out the window of the Drones Club
and, though he immediately fell in love, he was careful to mask his feelings when enquiring of a fellow Drone, Algy Wymondham-Wymondham, whether he knew her. Algy does, and informs Archibald of her name as well as her family circumstances: she lives in Park Street with a "potty" aunt, who believes that Francis Bacon
wrote the plays attributed to William Shakespeare
.
Archibald departs to buy socks and contemplate whether Aurelia would be attracted to him. He concludes that his primary talent, a masterful impression of a hen
laying an egg, is insufficient; indeed, he becomes convinced that she would be put off by such a vulgar display. Consequently, when he first meets her at Ascot
several weeks thereafter, he denies vehemently the ability to do the impression.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. Wodehouse
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE was an English humorist, whose body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics, and numerous pieces of journalism. He enjoyed enormous popular success during a career that lasted more than seventy years and his many writings continue to be...
, being a part of the Mr Mulliner
Mr Mulliner
Mr. Mulliner is a fictional character from the short stories of P. G. Wodehouse. Mr. Mulliner is a loquacious pub raconteur who, no matter what the topic of conversation, can find an appropriate story about a member of his family to match it....
series and related to the Drones Club
Drones Club
The Drones Club is a recurring fictional location in the stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a gentlemen's club in London. Many of his Jeeves and Blandings Castle stories feature the club or its members....
series. It features Archibald Mulliner, the sock collector who can mimic a hen laying an egg, and his love Aurelia Cammarleigh. Its was first published in the August 1928 issue of UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
literary magazine Strand
Strand Magazine
The Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine composed of fictional stories and factual articles founded by George Newnes. It was first published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950 running to 711 issues, though the first issue was on sale well before Christmas 1890.Its immediate...
, and first appeared in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the September 1928 issue of Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan (magazine)
Cosmopolitan is an international magazine for women. It was first published in 1886 in the United States as a family magazine, was later transformed into a literary magazine and eventually became a women's magazine in the late 1960s...
. It was collected in the 1929 book Mr Mulliner Speaking
Mr Mulliner Speaking
Mr Mulliner Speaking is a collection of nine short stories by P. G. Wodehouse. It was first published in the United Kingdom on April 30, 1929 by Herbert Jenkins, and in the United States on February 21, 1930 by Doubleday, Doran....
. A TV adaptation was aired on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
's Comedy Playhouse
Comedy Playhouse
Comedy Playhouse was a long-running British anthology series of one-off unrelated sitcoms that aired for 120 episodes from 1961 to 1975. Many episodes later graduated to their own series, including Steptoe and Son, Till Death Us Do Part, All Gas and Gaiters, The Liver Birds, Are You Being Served?...
in 1974.
Overview
"The Reverent Wooing of Archibald" is the first of three Archibald-and-Aurelia short stories told by Mr MullinerMr Mulliner
Mr. Mulliner is a fictional character from the short stories of P. G. Wodehouse. Mr. Mulliner is a loquacious pub raconteur who, no matter what the topic of conversation, can find an appropriate story about a member of his family to match it....
, about his nephew Archibald Mulliner and his love for Aurelia Cammarleigh. The two next are "Archibald and the Masses" and "The Code of the Mulliners", both collected in Young Men in Spats
Young Men in Spats
Young Men in Spats is a collection of short stories by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom on 3 April 1936 by Herbert Jenkins, London, then in the United States with a slightly different selection of stories on 23 July 1936 by Doubleday, Doran, New York.The collection, recounting...
(1936)
"The Reverent Wooing of Archibald" has been adapted on TV by BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
for the sitcom anthology Comedy Playhouse
Comedy Playhouse
Comedy Playhouse was a long-running British anthology series of one-off unrelated sitcoms that aired for 120 episodes from 1961 to 1975. Many episodes later graduated to their own series, including Steptoe and Son, Till Death Us Do Part, All Gas and Gaiters, The Liver Birds, Are You Being Served?...
, as a homonymous 30 minutes episode, aired 9 July 1974.
Plot summary
As it nears closing-time at the Angler's Rest, several drinkers discuss changing trends in modern society, especially concerning the proportions and personality of young women. Four men, identified by their drinks – a Gin-and-Ginger-Ale, a Draught Stout, a Small Bass, and a Double-Whisky-and-Splash – conclude that the reason for the disappearance of the "dignified, queenly type of girl" cannot be discovered or understood. Mr MullinerMr Mulliner
Mr. Mulliner is a fictional character from the short stories of P. G. Wodehouse. Mr. Mulliner is a loquacious pub raconteur who, no matter what the topic of conversation, can find an appropriate story about a member of his family to match it....
, drinking a hot Scotch
Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland.Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Single Grain Scotch Whisky, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky , Blended Grain Scotch Whisky, and Blended Scotch Whisky.All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three...
and lemon, interrupts to disagree with his companions, conjecturing that, because young men had such fear of proposing to queenly women, their disappearance was Nature's method of ensuring that they continued to propagage. He had become convinced that this was the case upon observing the behavior of his nephew Archibald Mulliner when he was in love with Aurelia Cammarleigh.
Archibald first saw Miss Cammarleigh from out the window of the Drones Club
Drones Club
The Drones Club is a recurring fictional location in the stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a gentlemen's club in London. Many of his Jeeves and Blandings Castle stories feature the club or its members....
and, though he immediately fell in love, he was careful to mask his feelings when enquiring of a fellow Drone, Algy Wymondham-Wymondham, whether he knew her. Algy does, and informs Archibald of her name as well as her family circumstances: she lives in Park Street with a "potty" aunt, who believes that Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Albans, KC was an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, author and pioneer of the scientific method. He served both as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England...
wrote the plays attributed to William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
.
Archibald departs to buy socks and contemplate whether Aurelia would be attracted to him. He concludes that his primary talent, a masterful impression of a hen
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
laying an egg, is insufficient; indeed, he becomes convinced that she would be put off by such a vulgar display. Consequently, when he first meets her at Ascot
Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located in the small town of Ascot, Berkshire, used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 9 of the UK's 32 annual Group 1 races...
several weeks thereafter, he denies vehemently the ability to do the impression.