Mrs. Selwyn Character Analysis in Evelina: or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World

Mrs. Selwyn is Mr. Villars’s friend who takes Evelina to visit Bristol with her. Mrs. Selwyn is a widow, and she has an unusually witty and bold personality. Because of these traits, Mrs. Selwyn is considered “masculine” and inappropriate. However, she is genuinely intelligent and sees through and makes fun of stupid yet fashionable people, like Mr. Lovel and Lord Merton. Mrs. Selwyn is kind to Evelina, but Evelina finds Mrs. Selwyn’s manner a little overwhelming—Evelina herself is gentle and more stereotypically feminine than Mrs. Selwyn.

Mrs. Selwyn Quotes in Evelina: or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World

The Evelina: or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World quotes below are all either spoken by Mrs. Selwyn or refer to Mrs. Selwyn. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances Theme Icon

"She is an absolute Court Calendar bigot; for, chancing herself to be born of a noble and ancient family, she thinks proper to be of opinion, that birth and virtue are one and the same thing.”

Related Characters: Mrs. Selwyn (speaker), Evelina, Mrs. Beaumont

Page Number and Citation: 276

Explanation and Analysis:

Mrs. Selwyn Character Timeline in Evelina: or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World

The timeline below shows where the character Mrs. Selwyn appears in Evelina: or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Innocence, Guidance, and Experience Theme Icon

...noticed her sad looks and has become unhappy himself as a result. Mr. Villars’s acquaintance, Mrs. Selwyn , has invited Evelina to stay with her at Bristol—but Mr. Villars became so distraught... (full context)

Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon

Evelina writes to Maria from Bristol—she has changed her mind and gone to stay with Mrs. Selwyn after all. Evelina has been ill, and she came to Bristol to recover. Mrs. Selwyn... (full context)

Inheritance, Class, and Nobility Theme Icon

Evelina writes to Mr. Villars and tells him that one morning, when she and Mrs. Selwyn were out walking, they bumped into Lord Merton and his friends. Lord Merton approaches Evelina... (full context)

Lord Merton is indifferent to Mrs. Selwyn ’s sarcasm and asks Evelina where she will be that evening. Mrs. Selwyn replies that... (full context)

Mrs. Selwyn swiftly leads Evelina away, and they lose Lord Merton in the crowd. Later that day,... (full context)

...to seduce her—and does not remember sending it. She met him again when she and Mrs. Selwyn walked to Clifton Hill to visit Mrs. Beaumont. While they were there, Lord Merton and... (full context)

...Louisa. Mrs. Beaumont suggests that they take a walk in the garden, and Evelina and Mrs. Selwyn agree. (full context)

...of indifference toward him to punish him for insulting her. Lord Orville seems confused, and Mrs. Selwyn says that Evelina is still weak from her illness and must be taken home. Lord... (full context)

The next morning, Evelina and Mrs. Selwyn are invited to visit Mrs. Beaumont. Mrs. Selwyn complains that, because Mrs. Beaumont is from... (full context)

...group agrees that they must decide on a wager for Lord Merton and Mr. Coverley. Mrs. Selwyn suggests a battle of wits, but they all seem rather uncomfortable with this idea. Mrs.... (full context)

...join in with the group and make everyone feel at ease. During their ride home, Mrs. Selwyn asks Evelina if she feels well enough to stay with Mrs. Beaumont for the rest... (full context)

The next day, before Mrs. Selwyn and Evelina go to Mrs. Beaumont’s, Mrs. Selwyn asks Evelina if she has met Mr.... (full context)

...she is the “best young woman” present. Evelina tries to get away from him, and Mrs. Selwyn eventually intervenes. (full context)

The next evening, Evelina, Mrs. Selwyn , Lord Orville, Louisa, Mrs. Beaumont, Lord Merton, Mr. Lovel, and Mr. Coverley attend a... (full context)

Mrs. Selwyn discovers that Miss Belmont is set to inherit Sir John’s fortune and learns that Sir... (full context)

A few days later, Evelina walks into Bristol with Mrs. Selwyn and Lord Orville and bumps into Mr. Macartney. He is not angry with Evelina for... (full context)

...Sir John Belmont’s son. She does not say anything, however, and only reveals this to Mrs. Selwyn after Macartney has left. (full context)

...Mr. Villars to say that she will not leave Bristol immediately as she had planned. Mrs. Selwyn has convinced her that they cannot leave until they know whether or not they have... (full context)

...ride in his carriage. Evelina refuses and says she will go for a walk with Mrs. Selwyn instead. Lord Orville asks if Evelina will go to the ball that night, but Evelina... (full context)

Evelina and Mrs. Selwyn walk into town and, on the way, they are surprised to hear some young men... (full context)

...anonymous poem about her, which declares Evelina to be the finest young woman in Bristol. Mrs. Selwyn joins them and says that this explains why all the young women hate Evelina. Mrs.... (full context)

Sir Clement is friendly with Mrs. Selwyn and insists on walking home with her and Evelina and being introduced to Mrs. Beaumont.... (full context)

...to meet Sir John, he thinks that she must immediately go to see him with Mrs. Selwyn . Mr. Villars also sends them a letter to Sir John that Caroline wrote before... (full context)

...visit from Sir Clement, who tries to seduce her, and is relieved when Mrs. Beaumont, Mrs. Selwyn , and Louisa enter the room and invite them to come for a drive. Evelina... (full context)

...begins to complain that she owes him because he puts up with Mrs. Beaumont and Mrs. Selwyn so that he could spend time with her. Evelina is repulsed by his rudeness, but... (full context)

Sir Clement complains that he particularly dislikes Mrs. Selwyn because she is too sharp and witty for a woman. Evelina again rebukes his rudeness.... (full context)

Inside, Mrs. Selwyn is shocked to see Evelina’s agitated condition. Evelina tells Mrs. Selwyn about the confrontation between... (full context)

...his best to cheer her up. He is distressed when he hears that Evelina and Mrs. Selwyn will leave Bristol the next day. Evelina says that she must go, and Lord Orville... (full context)

Evelina and Lord Orville sit together and talk until Mrs. Selwyn finds them. Mrs. Selwyn immediately understands that Lord Orville has proposed, and she teasingly tells... (full context)

...Clement because he was so distressed, but she does not want to see him again. Mrs. Selwyn , Mr. Lovel, Mr. Coverley, and Lord Merton enter the room, and Mrs. Selwyn says... (full context)

...delicate. Lord Merton says that he likes delicacy in a woman and looks maliciously at Mrs. Selwyn , who replies that she feels sorry for women since they must choose a husband... (full context)

Lord Orville enters the room and tells Evelina that Mrs. Selwyn ’s carriage is waiting to take Evelina to London. Lord Orville greets Mr. Macartney coldly,... (full context)

Mrs. Selwyn returns and describes her visit to Sir John. Evelina is amazed to learn that Sir... (full context)

...him. Evelina cannot explain, so Lord Orville comforts her and then goes to speak with Mrs. Selwyn . Mrs. Selwyn then visits Evelina’s room and tells her that she has told Lord... (full context)

Mrs. Selwyn says that she and Evelina should visit Sir John again tomorrow and try and convince... (full context)

...When they arrive at Sir John’s, Evelina is so nervous that she almost faints, so Mrs. Selwyn goes inside to meet Sir John. Evelina hears Mrs. Selwyn explain to Sir John that... (full context)

...says that Evelina is certainly Caroline’s daughter because she looks so like her. He orders Mrs. Selwyn and Evelina to leave and staggers from the room. Mrs. Selwyn makes to leave, but... (full context)

...his own and who he believes is Caroline’s daughter instead of Evelina. Evelina calls for Mrs. Selwyn , and Mrs. Selwyn takes Mrs. Clinton to see Sir John again. (full context)

When Mrs. Selwyn and Mrs. Clinton arrive to see Sir John, he tells them that, now that he... (full context)

...a sister. Sir John is too fatigued to see Evelina straightaway, but he will meet Mrs. Selwyn again the next morning. (full context)

The next morning, Mrs. Selwyn bursts into Evelina’s room and tells Evelina that she will be married next week. Mrs.... (full context)

Mrs. Selwyn further explains that Sir John will give Evelina a portion of her inheritance, and she... (full context)

Evelina asks if she can meet Sir John, and Mrs. Selwyn replies that Sir John thinks Evelina hates him. Evelina is distressed by this and wishes... (full context)

...Orville go out for a drive to Bath with Louisa, Lord Merton, Mr. Lovel, and Mrs. Selwyn . On the road, they bump into Captain Mirvan who, to Evelina’s amazement, tells her... (full context)

...The blood has ruined his clothes, however, and he is extremely annoyed with the Captain. Mrs. Selwyn jokes that the scar will make Mr. Lovel look tough, and Captain Mirvan says that... (full context)

Mrs. Selwyn Character Analysis

Mrs. Selwyn Quotes in Evelina: or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World

Volume 3, Letter 3 Quotes

Mrs. Selwyn Character Timeline in Evelina: or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World