Precocious in childhood, irrepressible in old age, Miss Topaz
Edgeworth's singular accomplishment is to live out an entire century in
unflagging - and mostly oblivious - optimism. At once outmoded and
unconventional, tyrannical and benign, Topaz leads a largely unexamined
life. But the magical quality of her consciousness, revealed through
stunning narrative technique, makes her into one of the most delightful
characters in Canadian literature. Published in 1949, The Innocent
Traveller is Ethel Wilson's most original literary achievement.