At one point in [The Sweet Dove Died] a lady declares her intention of taking up residence in St. Basil's Priory, "a delightful country house for elderly people run by Anglican nuns". It is not a statement which could fit easily into many contemporary novels: the combination of formal phrasing, sense of purpose, and those three particular adjectives, makes it a typical comment by one of Miss Pym's "excellent women". It is not, however, a typical comment by Miss Pym herself, for although there is a great deal in her novels that is "elderly", "Anglican" and "delightful", and it is a mark of her distinction that she has managed to make these features seem so peculiarly her own, her heroines are not completely defined by any of them….

The meekest of Miss Pym's heroines (even those called Mildred) prove themselves capable of acerbity as well as acquiescence. If...