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Art. 22. Belinda. By Maria Edgworth [sic]. Three Volumes. 8vo. 1l. 1s. Johnson. 1801.
The author of this production has obtained some degree of reputation from her Treatise on Education, and from the tale of Castle Rackrent, so much, that we expected to see her powers exercised with effect in a general representation of life and manners. We confess that we have, in some degree, been disappointed; for although we readily allow this to be superior to the common run of works of this kind, yet there does not appear to be the vivacity of description, the successful delineation of living manners, the contrivance with respect to plot, or the ingenuity with respect to the catastrophe, which the name prefixed appeared to promise. The catastrophe is indeed ridiculous, and the character of Virginia seems in its final ending to outrage all probability. [complete]
Provided by Julie A. Shaffer, January 2000
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