"They had just come up - unfortunately - to see doctors. Other people came to see pictures; go to the opera; take their daughters out; the Whitbrea...

The excerpt is from the novel "Mrs. Dalloway" by Virginia Woolf, which is known for its stream-of-consciousness narrative style and exploration of the inner lives of its characters. The novel takes place over the course of a single day in London, following the thoughts and experiences of Clarissa Dalloway, a high-society woman planning a party, and several other characters connected to her. The excerpt highlights the social expectations and constraints placed on women in this time period, as Clarissa visits her friend Evelyn in a nursing home and feels a sense of obligation to be there for her. The passage also touches on themes of illness and mortality, as Evelyn is unwell and Clarissa is conscious of her own mortality as she thinks about her hat not being appropriate for the early morning. Overall, "Mrs. Dalloway" is a novel that delves into the complexities of human experience and the inner workings of the mind, while also exploring the social and cultural context of early 20th century London.