Mallard Philosophies
It is a long-standing Mallard habit to think in writing. Most of these treatises began as letters—to solicitors, to clergy, to children about to inherit something difficult—and were later recognised as documents of lasting use to the family.
None were composed for publication.
Several bear the influence of Continental thought absorbed during the family's periods of necessary exile. Others are purely domestic in their concerns—the management of rank, the obligations of old money to new politics, the question of when a principle becomes an affectation. The house has always preferred its philosophy practical.
Vol. I—Which Grace: The Mallard Curse
1600 to 1700. Lefame, New England
An account of the Mallards—and the Wampanoag People—of Lefame in New England: the lands strategically located, fertile, and suited to maritime enterprise and the distant governance of the Dukes of Mallard and the Earls of New England.
Loose papers. Roughly by date: 1600 to 1700. Whoever reads after me, be it on your head. V.V.
Vol. XI—Music of Grace: Les Canards de France
The music of Comte Séraphin de Canardelle-Montmorin d’Aubespine-de-Mallard
The Comte premiered his concerto, “Concerto de la Grâce des Canards,” at Versailles in 1787. The concerto, featuring a harpsichord and an orchestra, evoked mixed reactions from the audience, with some praising its charm and others criticising its perceived philosophical undertones. Despite the controversy, the concerto succeeded in making the court more aware of their own humanity.
Vol. IX—Whither Grace: A Study In Self-Deception
Fenella Vorpel, 1990 to 2025
This book owes its provocation to Schopenhauer, who declared the world to be “will and representation.” I have taken the liberty of adjusting his phrase, for I live in an age less concerned with will than with whim, and where representation has been supplanted by its cheaper cousin, misrepresentation.
Vol. IV—Pathways of Grace: The Mallard Way
A tentative collection
A mix of diaries, letters, and orations from the 18th to 20th centuries, forms an alternative history centred around language, comedies and creatures, exploring bureaucracy and belief. With a focus on desire, featuring essays and anecdotes about education, beauty, and freedom.
Vol. XXX—Learning Grace
Three schools of thought
This collection argues against the pursuit of efficiency in thought, advocating instead for a more leisurely, meandering approach. True creativity and progress come from combining existing knowledge in novel ways, even if those combinations are not entirely accurate. The collection emphasises the importance of embracing ignorance and the joy of unstructured thinking, suggesting that time itself is the ultimate currency of intellectual exploration.
Vol. XIX—Illusory Grace
Linguistic wealth
The Mallard women, Lavinia and Dorcas, never published their writings but left behind a rich legacy of words and phrases. Their correspondence, journals, and other fragments reveal a unique linguistic economy, where meaning multiplies through use. These essays aim to preserve their words and the conditions under which meaning was possible, highlighting the value of language as a form of wealth and cultural heritage.
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