Also contains two works about temperance that are outside of AustLit's scope:
The Fiery Circle, by Rev. James Stuart Vaughan (Glasgow, 1868), follows a young man, Mr Supplesapling, through his days at Eton, Oxford and the Temple. The novel centres on the problems that alcohol has caused Supplesapling and how it prevents him from achieving to the best of his ability. The story is full of tales of acquaintances and friends who fell into trouble because of alcohol, and, holiday mishaps or accidents that were the result of neglect of the responsibility of duties through the consumption of alcohol. Supplesapling wants to marry his friend Trueflint's sister, Constantia. They are not able to be married, however, chiefly because Supplesapling is seen as a drunkard by Constantia's family and has indiscretions concerning money. Constantia dies of a broken heart and Supplesapling heads abroad with his sorrow, travelling the world before returning to England. The story relates tales of how drink has ruined many of his acquaintances' lives, including those of people he has met on his travels. The story concludes with Supplesapling as an old bachelor, with those characters around him having passed away, but he continues his work of promoting temperance so that he might save some from being ruined by alcohol as he was.
Our National Vice, by the Rev. William Reid (Glasgow : Scottish Temperance League, 1870) advocates temperance. The preface to the work states that the 'volume has been prepared at the request of the Directors of the Scottish Temperance League. The object which the Author has aimed at has been to present, within a brief compass, a comprehensive and popular view of the Temperance question. After illustrating the chief evils of intemperance, and the sources of its widely-extended power, he proceeds to prove that total abstinence is essential to the suppression of our national vice, meets the usual objections urged in opposition to our principle, and concludes with a defence of a Prohibitory Liquor Law, and the place to be assigned it in the prosecution of the movement. And the Author cherishes the hope, that he has presented within a brief space all that is necessary to put a candid inquirer in full possession of our principles and aims.'
