Frances Burney, Cecilia, or, Memoirs of an Heiress

Justine Crump (University of Cambridge)
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Cecilia, or Memoirs of an Heiress

was published in July 1782. Frances Burney had begun working on the novel in 1780, after her first attempt at writing for the stage in a lively and promising comedy,

The Witlings

, had been suppressed by her father, Dr Charles Burney, and her literary mentor, Samuel Crisp. The disappointment of this veto on her dramatic venture, and the pressure she felt to produce a work in the more acceptable genre of fiction in order to capitalize on the success of her first novel

Evelina

, seems to have placed considerable strain on Burney, and may have coloured the tone and content of her second published work.

Cecilia relates the history of Cecilia Beverley, an orphaned heiress who on reaching the age of twenty-one will come into possession of an income of three

1873 words

Citation: Crump, Justine. "Cecilia, or, Memoirs of an Heiress". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 10 October 2002 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=10531, accessed 19 March 2024.]

10531 Cecilia, or, Memoirs of an Heiress 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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