Elizabeth Gaskell 
Accursed Race 

A short essay by acclaimed Victorian writer Elizabeth Gaskell, ‘An Accursed Race’ is a study of the plight of the much-persecuted minority group the Cagots. In her essay, Gaskell explores the reasons behind their persecution in Europe, the commonly held superstitions surrounding them, and describes their ill-treatment in an effort to change the attitude towards this group. –