Frances Burney, also known as Fanny Burney and later Madame d’Arblay, was a novelist, diarist and playwright whose Evelina helped shape the novel of manners.
Frances Burney
Evelina
1778. Penguin Classics, 1994.
Letter XXI. Holborn, July 1...Yesterday it was settled that we should spend the evening in Marybone Gardens, where M. Torre, a celebrated foreigner, was to exhibit some fire-works...This Garden, as it is called, is neither striking for magnificence nor for beauty; and we were all so dull and languid, that I was extremely glad when we were summoned to the orchestra, upon the opening of a concert...When notice was given us that the fire-works were preparing we hurried along to secure good places for the sight; but very soon we were so encircled and incommoded by the crowd, that Mr. Smith proposed the ladies should make interest for a form to stand upon
Left alone, the ladies are enjoying the 'really beautiful' story of Orpheus and Eurydice until the climactic explosion, which so alarms them that they jump off the bench and scatter in all directions. Evelina finds herself subject to unwelcome attention from prowling males, and gets into another panic: 'I ran hastily up to two ladies, and cried, "For Heaven's sake, dear ladies, afford me some protection!" They heard me with a loud laugh, but very readily said, "Ay, let her walk between us;" and each of them took hold of an arm. Then, in a drawling, ironical tone of voice, they asked what had frightened my little Ladyship?
Had I been at liberty, I should have instantly run away from them when I made the shocking discovery: but, as they held me fast, that was utterly impossible
As the conversation proceeds it dawns on Evelina that her two protectors are prostitutes. Eventually one of the party arrives to chase her captors away, but not alas before the 'extremely handsome' Lord Orville has observed her in their company and, 'with an air of gravity that wounded my very soul, then wished me good night'.
The Early Journals and Letters of Fanny Burney
Ed. Lars E. Troide. Clarendon, 1988. Vol. 1.
the Fire Works of the celebrated Signor Torre. But a violent Rain came on, and, after sitting in a box in the Gardens, almost alone, for almost an Hour - We went to sup at Mr. Young's
Five years earlier the author had described her own visit to the Gardens, to celebrate her 21st birthday. On another occasion when the show was cancelled due to rain the disappointed customers included Dr. Johnson. Rejecting the management's apologies as 'a mere excuse to save their crackers for a more profitable company', the author of A Dictionary of the English Language incited ('to stir up; to push forward in purpose') the crowd to riot ('a sedition; an uproar. Milton: "Transformed to serpents all, as accessories/to his bold riot"').