Frances Burney

First published in 1778, this novel of manners tells the story of Evelina, a young woman raised in rural obscurity who is thrust into London's fashionable society at the age of eighteen. There, she experiences a sequence of humorous events at balls, theatres, and gardens that teach her how quickly she must learn to navigate social snobbery and v...

When heiress Cecilia Beverley receives an inheritance from her uncle, the Dean, it comes with the stipulation that her future husband must change his name to Beverley. Besieged by suitors only after her fortune, Cecilia eventually falls in love with the only son and heir of a proud family-one that prevents him from changing his name. A social sa...