"Evelina" was the first tale written by a woman, and
purporting to be a picture of life and manners, that lived or
deserved to live. It took away reproach from the novel. The
opinion is Macaulay's. In many respects the publication of
"Evelina" resembled that of "Jane Eyre," by Charlotte Brontë,
a century later. It was issued anonymously, by a firm that did
not know the name of the writer. Only the children of the
household from which the book came knew its origin. It
attained an immediate and immense success, which gave the
author, a shrinking and modest little body, a foremost place
in the literary world of her day. Fanny Burney, the second
daughter of Dr. Burney, was born in 1752, and published
"Evelina, or a Young Lady's Entrance into the World," in 1778.
She had picked up an education at home, without any tuition
whatever, but had the advantage of browsing in her father's
large miscellaneous library, and observing his brilliant
circle of friends. She knew something of the Johnson set
before she wrote "Evelina," and became the doctor's pet.
Later, Fanny Burney wrote "Cecilia," for which she received
two thousand guineas, and "Camilla," for which she received
three thousand guineas.
_I.--Deserted_