"The Misfortunes of Elphin" is a 1829 novella by English novelist and poet Thomas Love Peacock. The fifth serious fictional work that he completed, it is set in England at the time of the legendary King Arthur and contains many elements of Welsh legend, although it avoids the magical and preternatural elements common in each. This fantastic story will appeal to lovers of English and Welsh history and legend, and it would make for a worthy addition to any collection. Thomas Love Peacock (18 October 1785 - 23 January 1866) was an English poet, novelist, and important figure in the East India Company. A good friend of Percy Bysshe Shelley, they both had a significant influence on each other''s work. Peacock was most famous for writing satirical novels, which usually involved characters sat around a table discussing contemporary philosophical ideas. Other notable works by this author include: "Headlong Hall" (1815), "Gryll Grange" (1861), and "Melincourt" (1817). Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with intoductory essays by Sir Walter Raleigh and Virginia Woolf.