Evelina or the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World is a novel

Novel

A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....

 written by English

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 author Frances Burney and first published in 1778. The novel was first published anonymously, but its authorship was revealed by the poet George Huddesford

George Huddesford

Rev. George Huddesford was a painter and a satirical poet in Oxford. Huddesford published a number of works. His first was described by Fanny Burney as a "vile poem" as it revealed that she had written the novel, Evelina.-Life:...

 in what Burney called a "vile poem."

In this epistolary novel

Epistolary novel

An epistolary novel is a novel written as a series of documents. The usual form is letters, although diary entries, newspaper clippings and other documents are sometimes used. Recently, electronic "documents" such as recordings and radio, blogs, and e-mails have also come into use...

 in three volumes, Evelina, the title character, is the unacknowledged but legitimate daughter of a dissipated English aristocrat. Her dubious birth has seen her raised in rural seclusion until her seventeenth year. Through a series of humorous events that take place in London and the resort town of Hotwells

Hotwells

Hotwells is a district of the English port city of Bristol. It is located to the south of and below the high ground of Clifton, and directly to the north of the Floating Harbour. The southern entrance to the Avon Gorge, which connects those docks to the sea, lies at the western end of Hotwells. The...

, near Bristol

Bristol

Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...

, Evelina learns how to navigate the complex layers of 18th-century society and earn the love of a distinguished nobleman. This sentimental novel

Sentimental novel

The sentimental novel or the novel of sensibility is an 18th century literary genre which celebrates the emotional and intellectual concepts of sentiment, sentimentalism, and sensibility...

, which has notions of sensibility

Sensibility

Sensibility refers to an acute perception of or responsiveness toward something, such as the emotions of another. This concept emerged in eighteenth-century Britain, and was closely associated with studies of sense perception as the means through which knowledge is gathered...

 and early romanticism

Romanticism

Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...

, satirizes the society in which it is set and is a significant precursor to later works by Jane Austen

Jane Austen

Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived...

 and Maria Edgeworth

Maria Edgeworth

Maria Edgeworth was a prolific Anglo-Irish writer of adults' and children's literature. She was one of the first realist writers in children's literature and was a significant figure in the evolution of the novel in Europe...

, whose novels explore many of the same issues.

Plot summary

The novel opens with a distressed letter from Lady Howard to her long-time acquaintance, the Reverend Arthur Villars. In the letter, Lady Howard reports that Mme. Duval, the grandmother of Villars' ward, Evelina Anville, intends to visit England to renew her acquaintance with her grand-daughter Evelina. Eighteen years earlier, Mme. Duval had broken off her relationship with her daughter Caroline, Evelina's mother, and has never acknowledged Evelina. Reverend Villars fears Mme. Duval's influence could lead Evelina to an untimely and shameful death similar to that of her mother Caroline.

In an effort to keep Evelina away from Mme. Duval, the Reverend consents to her visiting Lady Howard's home, Howard Grove, on an extended holiday. While she is there, news comes informing the family that Lady Howard's son-in-law, Captain Mirvan, a naval officer, is returning to England after an absence of seven years. Desperate to join the Mirvans on their trip to London, Evelina entreats her guardian to let her attend them, promising that the visit will last only a few weeks. With reluctance, the Reverend consents.

In London, Evelina's beauty and ambiguous social status attract unwanted attention and unkind speculation. Ignorant of the conventions and behaviours of 18th-century London society, she makes a series of humiliating (but humorous) faux pas

Faux pas

A faux pas is a violation of accepted social norms . Faux pas vary widely from culture to culture, and what is considered good manners in one culture can be considered a faux pas in another...

, further exposing her to the ridicule of society. She soon earns the attentions of two gentlemen: Lord Orville, a handsome and extremely eligible peer who is a pattern card of modest and becoming behaviour, and Sir Clement Willoughby, a baronet with duplicitous intentions. Evelina's untimely reunion with her grandmother, along with the embarrassment her grandmother and her hitherto unknown extended family, the Branghtons, cause with their boorish social-climbing antics, soon lead her to believe that she will never gain Lord Orville's attention.

The Mirvans finally return to the country, taking Evelina and Mme. Duval with them. Spurred by Evelina's greedy cousins, Mme. Duval concocts a plan to sue Sir John Belmont, Evelina's father, and force him to recognize his daughter's claim in court. The Reverend is furious. Lady Howard intervenes and manages to elicit a compromise that sees her write to Sir John. Sir John responds unfavorably to her entreaty.

Mme. Duval is furious and threatens to take Evelina back to Paris with her to pursue the lawsuit. A second compromise sees Evelina return to London with her grandmother. There, she is forced to spend time in the company of her ill-bred cousins, the Branghtons, and their rowdy friends. During this period, Evelina is distracted by a melancholy Scottish poet, Mr. Macartney, whose dire poverty is clear. At one stage, she misinterprets his acquisition of pistols as a suicide attempt and bids him to look to his salvation. She later discovers he had been premeditating armed robbery to change his financial status whilst tracing his own obscure parentage, as well as recovering from the sudden death of his mother and the discovery that his beloved is actually his sister. Evelina gives him her purse as an act of charity. Beyond this episode, her time with the Branghtons is uniformly mortifying. Among the events she must suffer through is a disastrous visit to Marylebone, a pleasure garden, which sees her attacked by a drunken sailor and then rescued by prostitutes. It is in this humiliating company that she meets Lord Orville again. Certain that she has lost all possibility of his respect, she is stunned when he seeks her out in the unfashionable section of London and appears to be interested in renewing their earlier acquaintance. However, an insulting letter supposedly from Lord Orville leaves her devastated. Despondent at the belief that she erred in her perceptions of Orville, she returns home to Berry Hill and falls ill.

Slowly recuperating from her illness, Evelina agrees to accompany her neighbour, a sarcastic widow named Mrs. Selwyn, to the resort town of Clifton Heights. There, she attracts the unwanted attentions of a womanizer, Lord Merton, who she eventually learns is on the eve of marrying Lady Louisa Larpent, Lord Orville's sister. She realises they have come to Clifton to prepare for the wedding. Evelina tries to distance herself from Lord Orville because of his impertinent piece of correspondence, but his gentle manners work their spell and Evelina is torn between her attachment to him and her belief in his past duplicity.

The unexpected appearance of Mr. Macartney reveals an unexpected streak of jealousy in the heretofore unflappable Lord Orville. Convinced that Macartney is a rival for Evelina's affections, Lord Orville withdraws. In reality, Macartney has arrived in Clifton Heights to repay his financial debt to Evelina.

Lord Orville's genuine affection for Evelina and her assurances that nothing untoward is going on between her and Macartney finally win out over Orville's jealousy, and he secures a meeting between Evelina and Macartney. It appears that all doubts have been resolved between Lord Orville and Evelina, especially when Mrs. Selwyn informs her that she overheared Lord Orville arguing with Sir Clement about the latter's inappropriate attentions to Evelina. Lord Orville proposes, much to Evelina's delight. However, Evelina is distraught at the continuing gulf between herself and her father and the mystery surrounding his false daughter. Finally, Mrs. Selwyn is able to secure a surprise meeting with Sir John. When he sees Evelina, he is horrified and guilt-stricken because she closely resembles her mother, Caroline. Evelina is able to ease his guilt with her repeated gentle pardons and the delivery of a letter written by her mother on her deathbed in which she forgives Sir John for his behavior if he will remove her ignominy (by acknowledging their marriage) and acknowledge Evelina as his legitimate daughter.

It is Mrs. Clifton, Berry Hill's longtime housekeeper, who is able to reveal the second Miss Belmont's parentage. She identifies Polly Green, Evelina's former wetnurse and mother of a girl only six weeks older than Evelina, as the perpetrator of the fraud. Polly has been passing her own daughter off as that of Sir John and Caroline for the past eighteen years in the hopes of securing a better future for her. Ultimately, Lord Orville suggests that the unfortunate girl be named a co-heiress alongside Evelina, much to kind-hearted Evelina's delight.

Finally, Sir Clement Willoughby writes to Evelina and confesses to being the author of the insulting letter she received from Orville (although Evelina already suspected as much), which he wrote in the hope of separating Lord Orville and Evelina. Mr. Macartney is reunited with the false Miss Belmont, who was the young woman with whom he had been in love in Paris. Separated by Sir John, at first because Macartney was of too low birth and wealth to marry his purported daughter, and then because, thanks to an affair with Mr. Macartney's mother, he thought they were brother and sister, they are able to marry now that Miss "Belmont's" true parentage has become known. They are married in a joint ceremony alongside Lord Orville and Evelina, now Sir John's acknowledged daughter. After Lord Orville and Evelina marry, they travel to Berry Hill to see Reverend Villars for their honeymoon trip.

Characters

Miss Evelina Anville is the daughter of Lady Caroline Belmont (born Caroline Evelyn) and Sir John Belmont. She is the novel's main character. A series of letters convey the story, and she summarizes specific experiences of her life, mainly to her guardian/pseudo-father Reverend Villars. She embodies the desirable traits for women at the time. Although she is called a social "nobody" by the fop Mr. Lovel, other characters have high opinions of her. She is deemed "a very pretty modest-looking girl" by Lord Orville and an "angel" by Sir Clement in the first volume. The novel traces her trials and tribulations and growing confidence in her own abilities and discernment.

Reverend Arthur Villars is the man who raised Evelina as his own and refers to her as the "child of his heart." He is her tutor and guardian. Taking in the disgraced Lady Belmont, he vowed to be the protector of her child. He is Evelina's moral guide and confidant throughout the novel.

Sir Clement Willoughby is a minor nobleman (baronet

). Evelina meets him at the infamous Ridotto during her first visit to London. A steadfast pursuer of Evelina's good favour, he tries to accomplish this through very forward courting, which usually consists of flamboyant proclamations and flattering speeches. Evelina dislikes him and tolerates him only because he curries favour with Captain Mirvan, and then with Mrs. Selwyn. He also accompanies Captain Mirvan whenever he assaults, provokes or teases Madame Duval.

Lord Orville is a fine gentleman and earl

 who rescues Evelina on several occasions, including from the advances of Sir Clement. Lord Orville falls into her good graces simply by conducting himself in a manner befitting his rank and person. He is open and engaging, gentle, attentive and expressive.

Captain Mirvan is a retired captain in the navy, who despises foreigners and annoys Madame Duval constantly. Husband to Mrs. Mirvan and father of Maria, he is at times a source of much embarrassment to his family (or so it is perceived by Evelina).

Mrs. Mirvan is a woman who shows much compassion and concern for Evelina. She takes care of her while she in London and while she stays at Howard Grove. She treats Evelina as though she is her second child.

Miss Maria Mirvan is a childhood friend of Evelina's and a true companion in whom she confides.

Madame Duval is the French grandmother of Evelina. She wants to take Evelina to France

, away from English influence in general and Rev. Villars in particular. She is very stubborn and ignorant and, therefore, repugnant to Evelina.

M. Dubois is the companion of Madam Duval, who speaks only French and some broken English. Evelina bonds with him during her second residence in London because he is elevated in her opinion through comparisons with her then present company, the Branghtons. This in turn incites unwanted advances from him, infuriating Mme Duval. He is given the nickname "Monseer Slippery" by Captain Mirvan because he once slipped in mud while carrying Madam Duval.

The Branghtons are a low-bred family and Evelina's London relations, who own a silversmith's shop in High Holborn. Evelina must associate with them on her second visit to London. She grows impatient with their crass behaviour and is embarrassed to be thought of as in their party, especially when she meets Lord Orville in their company. The misses Branghton are jealous of the attention afforded to Evelina by their beaux. The young Mr. Branghton eventually attempts to propose to Evelina through Mme Duval but is refused.

Mr. Macartney is an impoverished Scottish poet, who boards with the Branghtons and is the butt of many of their contemptuous jokes. Evelina rescues him during what she perceives to be a suicide attempt, but which was actually the precursor to an armed robbery. He was brought to such a desperate action by the death of his mother and the discovery that the young woman he had courted in Paris was, because of his own parentage, his unacknowledged sister. When Miss Belmont's actual parentage is revealed, they are able to marry.

Lord Merton first met Evelina at an assembly. He is reintroduced to her as the fiancé of Lord Orville's sister in Bristol. Along with his companion, Mr. Coverly, Lord Merton reveals his character as one of rakishness, gambling, and heavy drinking.

Mr. Lovel is the rejected dance partner of Evelina when she attends her first assembly. Though he knows that her action of accepting another dance partner (Mr. Orville) while refusing him is due to her lack of knowledge about society, he is very angry and tries to embarrass her whenever he can.

Release details

• 1778, UK, Thomas Lowndes (ISBN NA), pub date ? ? 1778, hardback - in three volumes (first edition
• 1906, USA, The Century Company (ISBN NA), pub date April, 1906, hardback
• 1909, UK/USA, J. M. Dent
  J. M. Dent
  Joseph Malaby Dent was a British book publisher who produced the Everyman's Library series.Dent was born in Darlington in what is now the Britaania public house. After a short and unsuccessful stint as an apprentice printer he took up bookbinding...
  
  (London)/E. P. Dutton
  E. P. Dutton
  E. P. Dutton was an American book publishing company founded as a book retailer in Boston, Massachusetts in 1852 by Edward Payson Dutton. In 1986, the company was acquired by Penguin Group and split into two imprints: Dutton Penguin and Dutton Children's Books.-History:Edward Payson Dutton founded...
  
  (New York) (Everyman's Library
  Everyman's Library
  Everyman's Library is a series of reprinted classic literature currently published in hardback by Random House. It was originally an imprint of J. M. Dent , who continue to publish Everyman Classics in paperback.J. M. Dent and Company began to publish the series in 1906...
  
  #352), reprinted through at last 1950, hardback with jacket
• 1994, UK, Penguin Books (ISBN 0140433473), pub date 31 March 1994, paperback
• 1997, USA, Bedford/St. Martin's (ISBN 0-412-09729-8), paperback (edited by Kristina Straub)
• 1998, USA, W.W. Norton (ISBN 0393971589), pub date 4 March 1998, paperback (edited by Stewart Cooke)http://burneycentre.mcgill.ca/other_evelina.html
• 2000, Canada, Broadview Press (ISBN 155111237X), pub date 15 May 2000, paperback
• 2002, UK, Oxford World Classics (ISBN 0-19-284031-2), pub date 30 April 2002, paperback (edited by Edward A. Bloom with annotations by Vivien Jones)
• 2003, USA, Indypublish.com (ISBN 1404359885), pub date 18 June 2003, hardback
• 2006, USA, The Echo Library (ISBN 1406800910), pub date 20 June 2006, hardback

Sources

• Martha Gleaton Brown, Fanny Burney's Three Eighteenth-Century Romances: "Evelina", "Cecelia", and "Camilla," Greensboro, N. C., 1980
• Eighteenth Century Literature Guides

External links

• Evelina free downloads in PDF, ePub, PRC, PDB and LIT formats
• "Evelina" free audiobook streaming and download