. ▁The ▁Sc ar let ▁Let ter ▁( 1 8 5 0 ) ▁ ▁by ▁Nathan iel ▁Haw th or ne , ▁is ▁perhaps ▁the ▁most ▁famous ▁ 1 9 th - century ▁American ▁historical ▁novel . ▁Set ▁in ▁ 1 7 th - century ▁Pur itan ▁Boston , ▁Massachusetts ▁during ▁the ▁years ▁ 1 6 4 2 ▁to ▁ 1 6 4 9 , ▁it ▁tells ▁the ▁story ▁of ▁H ester ▁P ry n ne , ▁who ▁conce ives ▁a ▁daughter ▁through ▁an ▁affair ▁and ▁strugg les ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁new ▁life ▁of ▁rep ent ance ▁and ▁dign ity . ▁ ▁In ▁French ▁literature , ▁the ▁most ▁prominent ▁inher itor ▁of ▁Scott ' s ▁style ▁of ▁the ▁historical ▁novel ▁was ▁Bal z ac . ▁In ▁ 1 8 2 9 ▁Bal z ac ▁published ▁Les ▁Ch ou ans , ▁a ▁historical ▁work ▁in ▁the ▁manner ▁of ▁Sir ▁Walter ▁Scott . ▁This ▁was ▁subsequently ▁incorpor ated ▁into ▁La ▁Com édie ▁Hum aine . ▁The ▁bulk ▁La ▁Com édie ▁Hum aine , ▁however , ▁takes ▁place ▁during ▁the ▁Bour bon ▁Rest oration ▁and ▁the ▁July ▁Mon archy , ▁though ▁there ▁are ▁several ▁nov els ▁which ▁take ▁place ▁during ▁the ▁French ▁Revolution ▁and ▁others ▁which ▁take ▁place ▁of ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁A ges ▁or ▁the ▁Renaissance , ▁including ▁About ▁Catherine ▁de ▁Med ici ▁and ▁The ▁Eli x ir ▁of ▁Long ▁Life . ▁Victor ▁Hugo ' s ▁The ▁H unch back ▁of ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁( 1 8 3 1 ) ▁furn ishes ▁another ▁