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Volume 3, Letter 18
Themes
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
The next morning, Mrs. Beaumont and Louisa invite Evelina to walk in the garden with them. Evelina has noticed that they treat her differently now that she is engaged to Lord Orville and try to spend more time with her. Evelina tries to treat them coldly as revenge for their previous cool attitude toward her, but this is not in her nature. While they walk in the garden, Lord Orville approaches and formally introduces Evelina to Mrs. Beaumont and Louisa as Sir John Belmont’s only daughter. The two ladies are amazed and immediately begin to flatter Evelina.
Mrs. Beaumont and Louisa prove that they are shallow and judge people based on their class. Mrs. Beaumont and Louisa now know that Evelina is Sir John Belmont’s daughter and, since Sir John is a prestigious nobleman, they want to spend time with Evelina to improve their own status. Before, when they thought Evelina was middle-class, they treated her rudely. Although nobility was associated with virtue and sensibility in this period, Mrs. Beaumont and Louisa prove that this is not always the case.
Themes
Lord Orville tells Evelina that she may visit Sir John that evening, which makes Evelina extremely nervous. Sir John wants to see Evelina alone; as soon as she enters his chamber, he begins to weep. Evelina is shocked and does not know what to do. Sir John then orders her to leave, since she has punished him enough. Evelina sadly says that she blesses him and does not wish to hurt him. Sir John is amazed at her kindness and begins to apologize to her. Evelina gives Sir John the letter from Caroline, which Mr. Villars sent to her, and he takes it to a corner to read.
Evelina demonstrates her innate sensibility (an 18th-century term associated with empathy and emotional sensitivity), as she forgives Sir John and does not want him to suffer. Although Sir John has lived a debauched and immoral life, he has clearly learned from his mistakes and now regrets them.
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Sir John begins to sob as he reads Caroline’s letter and cries that Caroline’s last words torture him with guilt. Evelina can hold back no longer and goes to him, crying herself, and begs him not to abandon her. Sir John says that he loves her, but her appearance reminds him of Caroline, and it is painful for him to look at her. He tearfully gives her his blessing and sends her out of the room. Outside, in the hallway, Evelina finds Lord Orville and Mr. Macartney waiting for her. Lord Orville comforts her, and Mr. Macartney tells her that his fiancée, Miss Belmont, will also receive half of Sir John’s inheritance, which pleases Evelina.
Evelina does not want Sir John to suffer for her sake, because he clearly feels remorse for his mistakes. Sir John also shows that he wants to live a moral and virtuous life now, as instead of turning away Miss Belmont (who is not his own daughter but a servant’s child who was given to him in Evelina’s place), Sir John shares his wealth with her. This goes to show that people can learn and grow from their errors.
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