Little Lord Fauntleroy is the engaging, amusing, and moving story of a
boy living on the edge of poverty in New York, who suddenly learns that
he is the heir to an English lord with vast lands and wealth. Travelling
to his grandfather's castle, Cedric shows his trusting and democratic
nature in his dealings with lawyers and clergymen, servants and farmers,
but it is his relationship with his proud and unfeeling grandfather
which lies at the heart of the novel, and developments there take an
unexpected turn when the appearance of an unforeseen rival claimant to
the title brings the book to a dramatic climax. First published in 1886,
the story soon became a huge success throughout Europe and America, and
achieved unjust notoriety when its hero's costume of black velvet with
lace collar created a fashion for Little Lord Fauntleroy suits which
were foisted upon reluctant children. Despite this reaction, however,
the warmth and humour of Frances Hodgson Burnett's story have ensured
its survival as a children's classic and an enduring phenomenon of
popular culture. The text is that of the first English edition with
significant variations from the first serialization of the story and the
first American edition recorded in the notes.