William Hadley-Bright

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William Hadley-Bright is one of Jonathan Strange's three pupils (the other two are Tom Levy and Henry Purfois.) These gentlemen should perhaps be more properly described as Strange's pupils-in-waiting, since shortly after the death of his wife their master vanishes overseas. Their education is thus, so to speak, prorogued, while his later incarceration in the Pillar of Darkness must surely make future communication difficult.

Hadley-Bright is of good birth and breeding, being the only son of a wealthy widow[40]. He is tall, handsome,[50] and has been an aide-de-camp to Wellington. (It is apparently at Waterloo that he and Strange become acquainted[40]). We are told he is of a naturally cheerful disposition and has the valuable gift of making himself universally liked[40]. His nature is a little boyish and impulsive - "What an excellent thing it would be if Mr. Strange came back from the Continent and we had saved his book! That would make him rather open his eyes, I think!" he exclaims when first he hears of how Mr Norrell is suppressing The History and Practice of English Magic: a few moments later, feelings of intense surprise cause him to stick his hands in his pocket and whistle - which is hardly the behaviour of a man of mature years. Along with Purfois he is also in favour of calling Mr Norrell out, until it is represented to him that because of the discrepancy in their ages the match would be too unequal for it to be considered by a man of honour[50].