This was not Charles Kinsley's first novel, having been preceded by Yeast and Alton Locke in 1848 and 1850 respectively. It was, however, his first attempt at a historical novel, in which the dramatic narrative is ostensibly based on actual events. It was serialized in a magazine (Fraser's) in 1851, and published as a full book in 1853.
Its descriptions of the violence and corruption of the early Church offended some; and its appearance at a time of controversy between supporters of the Tractarian movement and social reformers such as F.D.Maurice (whom Kingsley admired) made it unpopular in some quarters, notably with John Henry Newman and his Tractarian colleagues. Newman, whose Apologia pro vita sua (1864) was a direct response to Kingsley's writings, himself produced a "historical" novel Callista (1856), in which he set out to correct Kingsley's portrait of the early Church.
The narrative of Hypatia introduces two characters of importance for hymnology: St Augustine of Hippo, and Synesius Bishop of Cyrene. Although the references are incidental to Kingsley's main story, they are not without interest. For further details, see extracts about:
Augustine of Hippo
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(The Rejoice & Sing Enchiridion:edited by David Goodall; last amended 14/10/00)