Framley Parsonage is the fourth book in the Chronicles of Barsetshire series by Anthony Trollope.
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Clergyman Mark Robarts benefits from his close friendship with Oxford classmate Lord Lufton. Lufton's mother bestows upon him the position of vicar of Framley Parsonage. Living among the upper class, but without their wealth, Robarts gets himself into financial difficulty, foolishly allowing himself to be talked into cosigning for a Mr. Sowerby's substantial borrowing.
Meanwhile, Lord Lufton and Mark's sister Lucy fall in love. However, Lady Lufton opposes the match, as Lucy has no money or social position, and Lucy refuses to marry Lord Lufton without his mother's approval. Lady Lufton would much rather her son marry Griselda Grantley, daughter of Archdeacon Grantley.
There are other subplots as well, for it would be impossible to have a Trollope novel without them. The rich, eccentric Miss Dunstable (introduced in Doctor Thorne) is pursued by Sowerby as a means out of his financial dilemma.
In the end, Lord Lufton overcomes the resistance of both his mother and Lucy, and saves his future brother-in-law from financial ruin to boot. Miss Dunstable finds happiness as the wife of Doctor Thorne (from the previous novel bearing his name).
Best part of story, including ending:
The book is packed with all sorts of interesting, original characters. Sadly, Mark Robarts isn't one of them, but the rest more than make up for this deficiency.
Best scene in story:
When Mrs. Harold Smith pleads the case of her brother, Mr. Sowerby, for the hand of Miss Dunstable, she is very honest about the situation (correctly judging that that approach stands the best chance).
Opinion about the main character:
Robarts is rather too weak and ordinary.