Edited by Patricia Demers. A young man sets out to find a woman who can meet the stringent requirements set out by his mother before she died. Full of religious lessons, as well as defining this paragon of female virtue, the novel was acceptable to those who, in general, despised novels; in fact it was wildly popular. More was a religious philanthropist, poet and playwright. Friends with Johnson, Reynolds, and Garrick, she was an astute observer of character. She had a conservative view of women's place in society and refused to read Mary Wollstonecraft. Mary likely returned the favor. This was More's only novel, originally published in 1809, and apparently it did not impress Jane Austen. Yet it provides a great deal of insight into life in the early 19th century. This scholarly issue includes a wide range of contermporary reviews and historical documents, as well as info on sequels to the novel. Broadview Press. 2007. Paper. NEW. $29.00