FIRST CHAPTERS OF THE CLASSICS

SPECIMENS OF LITERARY CORNISH

REFLECTING DIFFERENT AUTHORIAL STYLES

Translations © Ian Jackson

ALL AVAILABLE TO READ ON THIS WEBSITE

We are constantly adding to the series

Each piece has a glossary supplementing on-line Gerlyver Kescows to ensure learners can find every word. All the English originals are out of copyright so they too are often freely accessible on-line.

An Amazon UK survey published in September 2023 found that 43 per cent of readers said the first few lines of a book can make or break a novel, while 69 per cent of readers feel a good first chapter sets the tone for the whole novel.

BALLANTYNE

R.M. Ballantyne An Enys Coral

English title: The Coral Island

Click or tap here

BENNETT

Arnold Bennett An Ostel Babylon Veur

English title: The Grand Babylon Hotel

Click or tap here

BLACKMORE

R.D. Blackmore Lorna Doone

English title: Lorna Doone

Click or tap here

BUCHAN

John Buchan An Nawnjek Stap warn Ugans

English title: The Thirty-nine Steps

Click or tap here

BUNYAN

John Bunyan Prieryn ow Mones Rag

English title: The Pilgrim's Progress

Click or tap here

COLLINS

Wilkie Collins An Loorven

English title: The Moonstone

Click or tap here

DICKENS

Charles Dickens Gwaityans Meur

English title: Great Expectations

Click or tap here

FALKNER

John Meade Falkner Moonfleet

English title: Moonfleet

Click or tap here

GIBRAN

Kahlil Gibran An Profet

English title: The Prophet

Click or tap here

HARDY

Thomas Hardy An Genesyk Dewhelys

English title: The Return of the Native

Click or tap here

HOLTBY

Winifred Holtby Pastel Vro Soth

English title: South Riding

Click or tap here

HOPE

Anthony Hope An Prysner in Castel Zenda

English title: The Prisoner of Zenda

Click or tap here

LONDON

Jack London Dans Gwynn

English title: White Fang

Click or tap here

ORCZY

Baroness Orczy An Flour a Vrathles Cogh

English title: The Scarlet Pimpernel

Click or tap here

ORWELL

George Orwell Amêthva an Bestas

English title: Animal Farm

Click or tap here

POTTER

Beatrix Potter Tâla Conyn Peder

English title: The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Being the first volume of The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter

Click or tap here

SEWELL

Anna Sewell Beawty Du

English title: Black Beauty

Click or tap here

STEVENSON

Robert Louis Stevenson Viajya gans Asen i'n Cevenas

English title: Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes

Click or tap here

TROLLOPE

Anthony Trollope An Warden

English title: The Warden

Being the first volume of The Chronicles of Barsetshire

Click or tap here

WISTER

Owen Wister Den Gwlas an Werhes

English title: The Virginian

Click or tap here