‘No? – pardie, I wonder at that!’
Did you ever know such a Toad? Again I moved on, and got behind Mr W. Burke, who, turning round to me, said ‘This is not very politic in us, Miss Burney, to play at cards, and have You listen to our follies.’
There’s for you! I am to pass for a censoress now!
…
When next there was a Rat-Tat, – Mrs Cholmondeley and Lord Harcourt and my Father again, at the command of the former, moved into the middle of the Room: – And then Sir Joshua Reynolds and Dr Wharton entered. No further Company came. You may imagine there was a general war at the breaking of the Circle, – and, when they got into order, Mr Sheridan seated himself in the place Mrs Cholmondeley had left, between my Father and myself.
And now I must tell you a little conversation which I did not hear myself till I came Home, – it was between Mr Sheridan and my Father.
‘Good God, Dr Burney,’ cried the former, ‘have you no older Daughters? can this possibly be the authoress of Evelina? –’ and then he said abundance of fine things, and begged my Father to Introduce him to me! ‘Why, it will be a very formidable thing to her,’ answered he, ‘to be introduced to you!’ ‘Well then, – by and by, –’ returned he.
Some Time after this, my Eyes happening to meet his, he waved the Ceremony of introduction, and, in a low voice, said ‘I have been telling Dr Burney that I have long expected to see in Miss Burney a lady of the gravest appearance, with the quickest parts.’
I was never much more astonished than at this unexpected address, as, among all my numerous puffers, the Name of Sheridan has never reached me, and I did really imagine he had never deigned to look at my trash.
Of course I could make no verbal answer: and he proceeded then to speak of Evelina in terms of the highest praise, but I was in such a ferment from surprise (not to say pleasure) that I have no recollection of his expressions. I only remember telling him that I was much amazed he had spared Time to read it, – and that he repeatedly called it a most surprising Book. And, some Time after, he added ‘But I hope, Miss Burney, you don’t intend to throw away your Pen?’
‘You should take care, Sir,’ said I, ‘what you say, – for you know not what weight it may have.’
He wished it might have any, he said. – And soon after, turned again to my Father.
I protest, since the approbation of the Streathamites, I have met with none so highly flattering to me as this of Mr Sheridan, and so very unexpected.
He just wanted a decent book to read ...
Not too much to ask, is it? It was in 1935 when Allen Lane, Managing Director of Bodley Head Publishers, stood on a platform at Exeter railway station looking for something good to read on his journey back to London. His choice was limited to popular magazines and poor-quality paperbacks – the same choice faced every day by the vast majority of readers, few of whom could afford hardbacks. Lane’s disappointment and subsequent anger at the range of books generally available led him to found a company – and change the world.
We believed in the existence in this country of a vast reading public for intelligent books at a low price, and staked everything on it’
Sir Allen Lane, 1902–1970, founder of Penguin Books
The quality paperback had arrived – and not just in bookshops. Lane was adamant that his Penguins should appear in chain stores and tobacconists, and should cost no more than a packet of cigarettes.
Reading habits (and cigarette prices) have changed since 1935, but Penguin still believes in publishing the best books for everybody to enjoy.We still believe that good design costs no more than bad design, and we still believe that quality books published passionately and responsibly make the world a better place.
So wherever you see the little bird – whether it’s on a piece of prize-winning literary fiction or a celebrity autobiography, political tour de force or historical masterpiece, a serial-killer thriller, reference book, world classic or a piece of pure escapism – you can bet that it represents the very best that the genre has to offer.
Whatever you like to read – trust Penguin.
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PENGUIN BOOKS
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
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First published in 1778
Published in Penguin Classics edited by Margaret Anne Doody 1994
This edition published in the Penguin English Library 2012
Cover design: Coralie Bickford-Smith
Front cover illustration: T. Johnson
ISBN: 978-0-14-197375-3
* However superior the capacities in which these great writers deserve to be considered, they must pardon me that, for the dignity of my subject, I here rank the authors of Rasselas and Eloîse as Novelists.
* ‘Faith, Sir!’
* ‘My God … I am in despair!’
* our etiquette
* but obviously it’s only a matter of speaking?
* ‘of a true taste’; ‘genteel folk’; ‘boredom’
* ‘Oh let him alone, my friend, do not correct him; he is a nasty beast who is not worth the trouble.’
† ‘Mr Captain, do you really wish to ask my pardon?’
* ‘My God! What a misfortune! what shall I do?’
* ‘Oh Heaven! What a barbarian!’
* ‘Ah Miss! … How charmed I am to see you!’
* ‘So you don’t love him, that boy, Miss!’
† ‘Ah, you restore me to life!’
Evelina Page 50