Celebration of Women Writers
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EVELINA
OR THE HISTORY OF A YOUNG LADY'S ENTRANCE INTO THE WORLD
1778
BY FANNY BURNEY
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ORIGINAL INSCRIPTION: TO DR. BURNEY
Oh, Author of my being!-far more dear To me than light, than nourishment, or rest, Hygeia's blessings, Rapture's burning tear, Or the life-blood that mantles in my breast!
If in my heart the love of Virtue glows, 'T was planted there by an unerring rule; From thy example the pure flame arose, Thy life, my precept,-thy good works, my school.
Could my weak pow'rs thy num'rous virtues trace, By filial love each fear should be repress'd, The blush of Incapacity I'd chace, And stand, Recorder of thy worth, confess'd:
But since my niggard stars that gift refuse, Concealment is the only boon I claim; Obscure be still the unsuccessful Muse, Who cannot raise, but would not sink, thy fame.
Oh! of my life at once the source and joy! If e'er thy eyes these feeble lines survey, Let not their folly their intent destroy; Accept the tribute-but forget the lay.
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CONTENTS
- LETTER I. Lady Howard to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER II. Mr. Villars to Lady Howard - LETTER III. Lady Howard to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER IV. Mr. Villars to Lady Howard - LETTER V. Mr. Villars to Lady Howard - LETTER VI. Lady Howard to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER VII. Lady Howard to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER VIII. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER IX. Mr. Villars to Evelina - LETTER X. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER XI. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER XII. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER XIII. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER XIV. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER XV. Mr. Villars to Evelina. - LETTER XVI. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER XVII. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER XVIII. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER XIX. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER XX. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER XXI. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER XXII. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER XXIII. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER XXIV. Mr. Villars to Evelina. - LETTER XXV. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER XXVI. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER XXVII. Lady Howard to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER XXVIII. Mr. Villars to Lady Howard - LETTER XXIX. Mr. Villars to Evelina. - LETTER XXX. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER XXXI. Lady Howard to Sir John Belmont, Bart - LETTER XXXII. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER XXXIII. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER XXXIV. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER XXXV. Sir John Belmont to Lady Howard - LETTER XXXVI. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER XXXVII. Mr. Villars to Evelina - LETTER XXXVIII. Mr. Villars to Lady Howard - LETTER XXXIX. Mr. Villars to Evelina - LETTER XL. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER XLI. Evelina to Miss Mirvan - LETTER XLII. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER XLIII. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER XLIV. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER XLV. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER XLVI. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER XLVII. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER XLVIII. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER XLIX. Mr. Villars to Evelina - LETTER L. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER LI. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LII. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LIII. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LIV. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LV. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LVI. Mr. Villars to Evelina - LETTER LVII. Evelina to Miss Mirvan - LETTER LVIII. Evelina to Miss Mirvan - LETTER LIX. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LX. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LXI. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LXII. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER LXIII. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LXIV. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LXV. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LXVI. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LXVII. Mr. Villars to Evelina - LETTER LXVIII. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER LXIX. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LXX. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LXXI. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LXXII. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LXXIII. Mr. Villars to Evelina - LETTER LXXIV. Lady Belmont to Sir John Belmont - LETTER LXXV. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars - LETTER LXXVI. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LXXVII. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LXXVIII. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LXXIX. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LXXX. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LXXXI. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LXXXII. Evelina in Continuation - LETTER LXXXIII. Mr. Villars to Evelina - LETTER LXXXIV. Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars
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ORIGINAL DEDICATION.
TO THE AUTHORS OF THE MONTHLY AND CRITICAL REVIEWS.
GENTLEMEN, The liberty which I take in addressing to you the trifling production of a few idle hours, will doubtless move your wonder, and probably your contempt. I will not, however, with the futility of apologies, intrude upon your time, but briefly acknowledge the motives of my temerity; lest, by a premature exercise of that patience which I hope will befriend me, I should lessen its benevolence, and be accessary to my own condemnation.
Without name, without recommendation, and unknown alike to success and disgrace, to whom can I so properly apply for patronage, as to those who publicly profess themselves Inspectors of all literary performances?
The extensive plan of your critical observations,-which, not confined to works of utility or ingenuity, is equally open to those of frivolous amusement,-and, yet worse than frivolous, dullness,-encourages me to seek for your protection, since,-perhaps for my sins!-it intitles me to your annotations. To resent, therefore, this offering, however insignificant, would ill become the universality of your undertaking; though not to despise it may, alas! be out of your power.
The language of adulation, and the incense of flattery, though the natural inheritance, and constant resource, from time immemorial, of the Dedicator, to me offer nothing but the wistful regret that I dare not invoke their aid. Sinister views would be imputed to all I could say; since, thus situated, to extol your judgment, would seem the effect of art, and to celebrate your impartiality, be attributing to suspecting it.
As magistrates of the press, and Censors for the public,-to which you are bound by the sacred ties of integrity to exert the most spirited impartiality, and to which your suffrages should carry the marks of pure, dauntless, irrefragable truth-to appeal to your MERCY, were to solicit your dishonour; and therefore,-though 'tis sweeter than frankincense,-more grateful to the senses than all the odorous perfumes of Arabia,-and though
It droppeth like the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath,-
I court it not! to your justice alone I am intitled, and by that I must abide. Your engagements are not to the supplicating authors; but to the candid public, which will not fail to crave
The penalty and forfeit of your bond.
No hackneyed writer, inured to abuse, and callous to criticism, here braves your severity;-neither does a half-starved garretteer,
Oblig'd by hunger-and request of friends,-
implore your lenity: your examination will be alike unbiassed by partiality and prejudice;-no refractory murmuring will follow your censure, no private interest will be gratified by your praise.
Let not the anxious solicitude with which I recommend myself to your notice, expose me to your derision. Remember, Gentlemen, you were all young writers once, and the most experienced veteran of your corps may, by recollecting his first publication, renovate his first terrors, and learn to allow for mine. For though Courage is one of the noblest virtues of this nether sphere; and though scarcely more requisite in the field of battle, to guard the fighting hero from disgrace, than in the private commerce of the world, to ward off that littleness of soul which leads, by steps imperceptible, to all the base train of the inferior passions, and by which the too timid mind is betrayed into a servility derogatory to the dignity of human nature! yet is it a virtue of no necessity in a situation such as mine; a situation which removes, even from cowardice itself, the sting of ignominy;-for surely that courage may easily be dispensed with, which would rather excite disgust than admiration! Indeed, it is the peculiar privilege of an author, to rob terror of contempt, and pusillanimity of reproach.
Here let me rest- and snatch myself, while I yet am able, from the fascination of EGOTISM:-a monster who has more votaries than ever did homage to the most popular deity of antiquity; and whose singular quality is, that while he excites a blind and involuntary adoration in almost every individual, his influence is universally disallowed, his power universally contemned, and his worship, even by his followers, never mentioned but with abhorence.