
Coelebs In Search of a Wife
by Hannah More
- First published
- 1809
- Reading level
- Plain English
- Price
- Free
About the book
"Coelebs In Search of a Wife" by Hannah More is a novel published in 1808. A wealthy young bachelor named Coelebs seeks a bride who can meet the strict moral standards set by his late mother. The novel combined storytelling with religious instruction, becoming the first nineteenth-century novel embraced by religious readers who previously viewed fiction as disreputable. Its popularity marked a turning point in making novels acceptable to conservative audiences, though modern critics consider it notably difficult to read.
- Didactic fiction
- Conduct of life
- Mate selection
- Christian fiction
Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #31879. Coelebs In Search of a Wife on Wikipedia.






