Belinda is a novel written by Irish author Maria Edgeworth, first published in 1801. The story follows the life of a young woman named Belinda Portman as she navigates the social and romantic complexities of late 18th-century British society. Belinda is a beautiful and intelligent young woman who is sent to London by her aunt to be introduced to society and find a suitable husband. Along the way, she meets a variety of characters, including Lady Delacour, a wealthy and fashionable woman who becomes Belinda's friend and ...
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Belinda is a novel written by Irish author Maria Edgeworth, first published in 1801. The story follows the life of a young woman named Belinda Portman as she navigates the social and romantic complexities of late 18th-century British society. Belinda is a beautiful and intelligent young woman who is sent to London by her aunt to be introduced to society and find a suitable husband. Along the way, she meets a variety of characters, including Lady Delacour, a wealthy and fashionable woman who becomes Belinda's friend and mentor. Lady Delacour has a troubled past and is struggling with alcoholism, but she helps Belinda navigate the social scene and avoid the pitfalls of London society. Belinda also meets Mr. Vincent, a charming and attractive man who seems to be the perfect suitor, but who may not be as honorable as he appears. The novel explores themes of class, gender, and morality, as well as the challenges faced by women in a society that values their beauty and charm above their intelligence and character. With its witty dialogue, engaging characters, and insightful commentary on society, Belinda remains a classic of English literature.""If I had served myself, with half the zeal that I have served the world, I should not now be thus forsaken!--I have sacrificed reputation, happiness--every thing, to the love of frolic--All frolic will soon be at an end with me--I am dying--and I shall die unlamented by any human being. --If I were to live my life over again, what a different life it should be!--What a different person I would be! --But it is all over now--I am dying.""This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
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Add this copy of Belinda to cart. $66.14, new condition, Sold by Booksplease rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Southport, MERSEYSIDE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2010 by Kessinger Publishing.
A delightful story of a beautiful and refreshingly rational and intelligent young lady (wouldn't mind a few more of those!) who learns from the mistakes of those around her, Belinda had me burning the midnight oil from beginning to end. There are characters aplenty - a scheming and mercenary aunt, a captivating, middle-aged bon vivant with a sad secret and a crumbling marriage, servants faithful and faithless, a few harpies, and not one but two handsome suitors - and smack in the middle of it all, Belinda - smart, well-read, and very aware of the craziness around her. This is a very briskly-paced, very funny novel, with lots of talk, certainly, but plenty of action at every turn. Clarence Hervey must be one of the most unusual and intriguing heroes I have come across in a novel from this period (could you see Jane Austen's Mr. Darcy dressing up in a hoopskirt to make a point?). I'm sure that there are a lot of very academic things I could say about this novel - its treatment of race relations in an England that had not yet abolished the slave trade, its commentary on women making their own marriage choices - but that's not why I enjoyed it. It's a great story on its own.
