First published in 1864, &quot;Cousin Phillis&quot; is &nbsp;a haunting, beautifully controlled novella considered to be among Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell&#39;s finest short works.&nbsp;<br />Lodging with a minister on the outskirts of London, Paul Manning is initially dismayed to discover that the uncle he must visit in the country is also a churchman. Yet far from the oppressively religious household he envisages, Manning is delighted to meet his genial relations&mdash;not least, his cousin Phillis. But when Phillis falls for the charms of his more sophisticated colleague, Manning&#39;s family ties render him powerless to prevent the inevitable heartbreak that ensues.&nbsp;<br /><br />Collaborator and friend of Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins, Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell is a leading figure in Victorian literature.&nbsp;