Principle and Practice

Five children in Exeter face an uncertain future after the death of their father, a respected merchant. Sixteen-year-old Jane Forsyth wants to keep the younger children together, while her brother Charles hopes to earn his living through the business skills their father taught him. With limited money available, their family friend Mr Barker discusses schooling, a small house, and work for Jane as a daily governess. These practical arrangements give Harriet Martineau's novel its focus on responsibility and family cooperation.

The story puts moral principles to work in ordinary difficulties. Jane must weigh her ability to teach and manage a household; Charles's confidence meets the demands of helping others. In a later scene, he supports Monteath through painful medical care and reflects on the friendship formed during that ordeal. Readers interested in domestic fiction will find a close account of education, independence, religious conviction, and kindness tested by daily life.