The name Herman Melville is synonymous with the pinnacle of American literary achievement, and many regard his novel Moby-Dick as the quintessential work of American fiction. In The Confidence-Man, Melville's final major novel, the author explores...
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The name Herman Melville is synonymous with the pinnacle of American literary achievement, and many regard his novel Moby-Dick as the quintessential work of American fiction. In The Confidence-Man, Melville's final major novel, the author explores the motivations, travails, and personalities of a group of boat passengers en route to New Orleans, as well as the mysterious trickster figure who riles things up at the margins of the group
Title; Contents; Chapter I - A Mute Goes Aboard a Boat on the Mississippi; Chapter II - Showing that Many Men Have Many Minds; Chapter III - In Which a Variety of Characters Appear; Chapter IV - Renewal of Old Acquaintance; Chapter V - The Man with the Weed Makes it an Even Question Whether He Be a Great Sage or a Great Simpleton; Chapter VI - At the Outset of Which Certain Passengers Prove Deaf to the Call of Charity; Chapter VII - A Gentleman with Gold Sleeve-Buttons; Chapter VIII - A Charitable Lady; Chapter IX - Two Business Men Transact a Little Business; Chapter X - In the Cabin
Chapter XI - Only a Page or SoChapter XII - Story of the Unfortunate Man, from Which May Be Gathered Whether or No He Has Been Justly so Entitled; Chapter XIII - The Man with the Traveling-Cap Evinces Much Humanity, and in a Way Which Would Seem to Show Him to Be One of the; Chapter XIV - Worth the Consideration of Those to Whom it May Prove Worth Considering; Chapter XV - An Old Miser, Upon Suitable Representations, is Prevailed Upon to Venture an Investment; Chapter XVI - A Sick Man, After Some Impatience, is Induced to Become a Patient
Chapter XVII - Towards the End of Which the Herb-Doctor Proves Himself a Forgiver of InjuriesChapter XVIII - Inquest into the True Character of the Herb-Doctor; Chapter XIX - A Soldier of Fortune; Chapter XX - Reappearance of One Who May Be Remembered; Chapter XXI - A Hard Case; Chapter XXII - In the Polite Spirit of the Tusculan Disputations; Chapter XXIII - In Which the Powerful Effect of Natural Scenery is Evinced in the Case of the Missourian, Who, in View of the Re; Chapter XXIV - A Philanthropist Undertakes to Convert a Misanthrope, but Does Not Get Beyond Confuting Him
Chapter XXV - The Cosmopolitan Makes an AcquaintanceChapter XXVI - Containing the Metaphysics of Indian-Hating, According to the Views of One Evidently Not so Prepossessed as Rouss; Chapter XXVII - Some Account of a Man of Questionable Morality, but Who, Nevertheless, Would Seem Entitled to the Esteem of that; Chapter XXVIII - Moot Points Touching the Late Colonel John Moredock; Chapter XXIX - The Boon Companions; Chapter XXX - Opening with a Poetical Eulogy of the Press and Continuing with Talk Inspired by the Same; Chapter XXXI - A Metamorphosis More Surprising than Any in Ovid
Chapter XXXII - Showing that the Age of Magic and Magicians is Not Yet OverChapter XXXIII - Which May Pass for Whatever it May Prove to Be Worth; Chapter XXXIV - In Which the Cosmopolitan Tells the Story of the Gentleman Madman; Chapter XXXV - In Which the Cosmopolitan Strikingly Evinces the Artlessness of His Nature; Chapter XXXVI - In Which the Cosmopolitan is Accosted by a Mystic, Whereupon Ensues Pretty Much Such Talk as Might Be Expected; Chapter XXXVII - The Mystical Master Introduces the Practical Disciple; Chapter XXXVIII - The Disciple Unbends, and Consents to Act a Social Part