Nathaniel Hawthorne 
The House of the Seven Gables 

The classic Hawthorne novel, in which he waxes eloquent about the future, ‘Then there is electricity, –the demon, the angel, the mighty physical power, the all-pervading intelligence!’ exclaimed Clifford. ‘Is that a humbug, too? Is it a fact–or have I dreamt it–that, by means of electricity, the world of matter has become a great nerve, vibrating thousands of miles in a breathless point of time? Rather, the round globe is a vast head, a brain, instinct with intelligence! Or, shall we say, it is itself a thought, nothing but thought, and no longer the substance which we deemed it!’ And what he’s so enthused about, using words appropriate for today’s Internet, is the telegraph. According to Wikipedia: ‘Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804 –1864) was an American novelist and short story writer… Much of Hawthorne’s writing centers around New England and many feature moral allegories with a Puritan inspiration. His fiction works are considered part of the Romantic movement and, more specifically, dark romanticism. His themes often center on the inherent evil and sin of humanity and his works often have moral messages and deep psychological complexity. His published works include novels, short stories, and a biography of his friend Franklin Pierce.’