A DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF TIME Photographs and Essays Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665), A Dance to the Music of Time The Wallace Collection, London. Used by permission. Poussin's painting above provides both the title for Anthony Powell's series and also the inspiration for its structure and themes. "These classical projections, and something from the fire, suddenly suggested Poussin's scene in which the Seasons, hand in hand and facing outward, tread in rhythm to the notes of the lyre that the winged and naked greybeard plays. The image of Time brought thoughts of mortality: of human beings, facing outward like the Seasons, moving hand in hand in intricate measure, stepping slowly, methodically sometimes a trifle awkwardly, in evolutions that take recognizable shape: or breaking into seemingly meaningless gyrations, while partners disappear only to reappear again, once more giving pattern to the spectacle: unable to control the melody, unable, perhaps, to control the steps of the dance." (A Question of Upbringing, 2)

Introduction      Anthony Powell wrote the 12-novel sequence called Dance to the Music of Time during the years 1950-1974. A comic masterpiece, it follows the life of Nicholas Jenkins, the narrator, for nearly fifty years, from, 1926 to 1971. Here, Powell is seen holding his favorite cat, Trelawney, who was named for the disreputable mystic, Dr. Trelawney, of the sixth volume, The Kindly Ones.      This set of pages, dedicated to Powell's comic epic, is the product of two English classes at Phillips Academy, Andover -- English 574, "The Longest Novel Ever Written." During the academic years 2001-2 and 2007-8 students, mostly twelfth graders, studied the entire duodecology, book by book. As they finished each one, they produced essays on various critical issues raised within it. What has resulted is a sort of intellectual journal of their reading, as they worked deeper and deeper into this fascinating, complex work.      Each set of essays appears on the page dedicated to the relevant novel. For those unfamiliar with Dance, each page begins with a short synopsis and a character list for that novel -- both written by the class. Each list mentions only significant characters. The essays follow.       Page numbers refer to the University of Chicago editions, which are identical to the revised Little Brown and Heinemann ones.       Two final remarks: members of the class have some great debts to record. First, we owe many thanks to the Wallace Collection, and its representative Ms. Emma Baudey, who have generously allowed us use of the Poussin image while our class is in progress. Those who wish to visit the collection virtually or in person can find much information at their website:             The Wallace Collection       Second, we have been greatly helped by members of the Anthony Powell Society. We encourage all fans of Powell to join the Society, and certainly to visit its website for an extraordinarily rich compilation of information, scholarship, and pleasure:             The Anthony Powell Society       -- John Gould Photograph © John Monagan. Used by permission.                         Links to the Novels                      A Question of Upbringing                      A Buyer's Market                      The Acceptance World                      At Lady Molly's                      Casanova's Chinese Restaurant                      The Kindly Ones                      The Valley of Bones                      The Soldier's Art                      The Military Philosophers                      Books Do Furnish a Room                      Temporary Kings                      Hearing Secret Harmonies                      Appendix:                                "A Mural to Music, and Time to Come:                                The Future in A Dance to the Music of Time"