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Volume 1, Letter 13
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Evelina: or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage
Inheritance, Class, and Nobility
Innocence, Guidance, and Experience
Summary
Analysis
Evelina writes to Mr. Villars and tells him that, because of a surprising turn of events, they are still in London. The previous evening, Evelina went to the opera with her companions, and as they waited for a coach afterwards, they came across a distraught French woman who said she had lost her friends. Mrs. Mirvan said the woman could join them in their coach, but Captain Mirvan protested because the woman was French.
In 18th-century Britain, women were generally wary of being alone in public as it could put their safety at risk. Women did not have many rights, so men could potentially harass or assault them without consequences. Captain Mirvan is a very unempathetic and insensible person (sensibility was an 18th-century term for empathy and kindness). Because of this, he doesn’t feel that he has a duty to protect women whose safety is at risk. Captain Mirvan is a naval officer and dislikes the French because, during this period, England and France were often at war.
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Eventually, Mrs. Mirvan convinces Captain Mirvan to let the old lady share their coach, and the group sets off for home. Captain Mirvan is extremely rude to the woman, however, and she responds by saying that she would rather go home to France than stay in England, where people have no manners. Desperate to stop their bickering, Maria complains that the coach is driving very slowly and Captain Mirvan says that they will go fast enough on their journey back to Howard Grove the next day.
Although 18th-century Britons prides themselves on etiquette, the Frenchwoman is a reminder to the reader than Britain is only one country; other countries have different social codes. This supports Burney’s argument that proper etiquette is often arbitrary, and it’s not necessarily a marker of moral goodness.
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On hearing the name “Howard Grove,” the French woman suddenly exclaims that she knows Lady Howard. Captain Mirvan rudely states that the French woman is not a refined person and, therefore, cannot know Lady Howard. The French woman angrily retorts that she is just as good as Lady Howard and is as wealthy as her, too. At this, Captain Mirvan grabs the woman’s wrists and threatens to throw her from the coach. The woman cries out that if he dares to do so, she will call the magistrate. She claims that her name—Madame Duval—is well-known in London.
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When Evelina hears that the French woman’s name is Madame Duval, she realizes that the woman is her grandmother. Madame Duval strikes her as extremely vulgar; Evelina is so horrified that she almost faints. She wonders what she would be like if she had been raised by Madame Duval instead of Mr. Villars. Evelina’s reaction means that they cannot hide the truth from Madame Duval, and Mrs. Mirvan reveals that Evelina is Madame Duval’s long lost grandchild. Hearing this, Madame Duval invites Evelina to her house, but Evelina declines. Instead, she agrees to visit Madame Duval the next morning when she has recovered from her shock.
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The next day, Mrs. Mirvan accompanies Evelina to visit Madame Duval. During their tea, Madame Duval explains to Evelina that she is a widow and, because her husband was very controlling, he would never let her come to England to look for Evelina. Now that she has found her, though, Madame Duval says that Evelina must come to France with her—a prospect that Evelina finds very alarming.
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Madame Duval, Evelina, and Mrs. Mirvan are interrupted by Captain Mirvan, who insults Madame Duval. Embarrassed, Mrs. Mirvan suggests that Evelina and Madame Duval spend the evening together. When Madame Duval is still not appeased, Mrs. Mirvan persuades Captain Mirvan to let them stay a few days more in London, so that Evelina can spend time with her grandmother. Captain Mirvan grudgingly agrees, but Evelina is afraid of Madame Duval and wishes she could return home to Berry Hill.
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