The Coquette

by

Hannah Webster Foster

Eliza Wharton’s friend. Julia is a single woman, but unlike Eliza, she is looking forward to marriage and domestic life. She is beautiful and highly virtuous, and, according to Major Sanford, completely incapable of being seduced. The “dignity of her manners forbid all assaults upon her virtue,” Sanford says, and Julia is constantly urging Eliza to cease her coquettish ways. Like Eliza’s other friends, Julia is highly judgmental of Eliza’s flirtatious behavior, and she is often overly harsh and critical in her approach. Julia’s intolerance of Eliza’s relationship with Sanford is in large part why Eliza flees to Danvers after she becomes pregnant with Sanford’s illegitimate baby. Even after Julia learns of Eliza’s death at the inn at Danvers, she is still highly critical of Eliza and appears more sympathetic toward Mrs. Wharton than Eliza. While Julia certainly mourns the loss of her friend, she mourns Eliza’s lost virtue even more. “Not only the life, but what was still dearer,” Julia says, “the reputation and virtue of the unfortunate Eliza, have fallen victims at the shrine of libertinism!” Despite being a dear friend to Eliza, Julia is more concerned with Eliza’s reputation and virtue than she is with Eliza’s happiness and well-being.

Miss Julia Granby Quotes in The Coquette

The The Coquette quotes below are all either spoken by Miss Julia Granby or refer to Miss Julia Granby. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Women and Society Theme Icon
).
Letter 66 Quotes

Indeed, I feared some immediate and fatal effect. I therefore seated myself beside her; and assuming an air of kindness, compose yourself, Eliza, said I; I repeat what I told you before, it is the purest friendship, which thus interests me in your concerns. This, under the direction of charity, induces me again to offer you my hand. Yet you have erred against knowledge and reason; against warning and counsel. You have forfeited the favor of your friends; and reluctant will be their forgiveness. I plead guilty, said she, to all your charges. From the general voice I expect no clemency. If I can make my peace with my mother, it is all I seek or wish on this side the grave.

Related Characters: Miss Julia Granby (speaker), Miss Eliza Wharton, Major Peter Sanford, Miss Lucy Freeman/Mrs. Lucy Sumner
Page Number: 120
Explanation and Analysis:
Letter 69 Quotes

Should it please God to spare and restore me to health, I shall return, and endeavor, by a life of penitence and rectitude, to expiate my past offences. But should I be called from this scene of action; and leave behind me a helpless babe, the innocent sufferer of its mother’s shame, Oh, Julia, let your friendship for me extend to the little stranger! Intercede with my mother to take it under her protection; and transfer to it all her affection for me; to train it up in the ways of piety and virtue, that it may compensate her for the afflictions which I have occasioned!

Related Characters: Miss Eliza Wharton (speaker), Miss Julia Granby, Mrs. M. Wharton
Related Symbols: Babies
Page Number: 131
Explanation and Analysis:
Letter 73 Quotes

How sincerely I sympathize with the bereaved parent of the dear, deceased Eliza, I can feel, but have not power to express. Let it be her consolation, that her child is at rest. The resolution which carried this deluded wanderer thus far from her friends, and supported her through her various trials, is astonishing! Happy would it have been, had she exerted an equal degree of fortitude in repelling the first attacks upon her virtue! But she is no more; and heaven forbid that I should accuse or reproach her!

Related Characters: Miss Lucy Freeman/Mrs. Lucy Sumner (speaker), Miss Eliza Wharton, Miss Julia Granby, Mrs. M. Wharton
Page Number: 140
Explanation and Analysis:

Upon your reflecting and steady mind, my dear Julia, I need not inculcate the lessons which may be drawn from this woe-fraught tale; but for the sake of my sex in general, I wish it engraved upon every heart, that virtue alone, independent of the trappings of wealth, the parade of equipage, and the adulation of gallantry, can secure lasting felicity. From the melancholy story of Eliza Wharton, let the American fair learn to reject with disdain every insinuation derogatory to their true dignity and honor. Let them despise, and for ever banish the man, who can glory in the seduction of innocence and the ruin of reputation. To associate, is to approve; to approve, is to be betrayed!

Related Characters: Miss Lucy Freeman/Mrs. Lucy Sumner (speaker), Miss Eliza Wharton, Major Peter Sanford, Miss Julia Granby
Page Number: 141
Explanation and Analysis:
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Miss Julia Granby Quotes in The Coquette

The The Coquette quotes below are all either spoken by Miss Julia Granby or refer to Miss Julia Granby. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Women and Society Theme Icon
).
Letter 66 Quotes

Indeed, I feared some immediate and fatal effect. I therefore seated myself beside her; and assuming an air of kindness, compose yourself, Eliza, said I; I repeat what I told you before, it is the purest friendship, which thus interests me in your concerns. This, under the direction of charity, induces me again to offer you my hand. Yet you have erred against knowledge and reason; against warning and counsel. You have forfeited the favor of your friends; and reluctant will be their forgiveness. I plead guilty, said she, to all your charges. From the general voice I expect no clemency. If I can make my peace with my mother, it is all I seek or wish on this side the grave.

Related Characters: Miss Julia Granby (speaker), Miss Eliza Wharton, Major Peter Sanford, Miss Lucy Freeman/Mrs. Lucy Sumner
Page Number: 120
Explanation and Analysis:
Letter 69 Quotes

Should it please God to spare and restore me to health, I shall return, and endeavor, by a life of penitence and rectitude, to expiate my past offences. But should I be called from this scene of action; and leave behind me a helpless babe, the innocent sufferer of its mother’s shame, Oh, Julia, let your friendship for me extend to the little stranger! Intercede with my mother to take it under her protection; and transfer to it all her affection for me; to train it up in the ways of piety and virtue, that it may compensate her for the afflictions which I have occasioned!

Related Characters: Miss Eliza Wharton (speaker), Miss Julia Granby, Mrs. M. Wharton
Related Symbols: Babies
Page Number: 131
Explanation and Analysis:
Letter 73 Quotes

How sincerely I sympathize with the bereaved parent of the dear, deceased Eliza, I can feel, but have not power to express. Let it be her consolation, that her child is at rest. The resolution which carried this deluded wanderer thus far from her friends, and supported her through her various trials, is astonishing! Happy would it have been, had she exerted an equal degree of fortitude in repelling the first attacks upon her virtue! But she is no more; and heaven forbid that I should accuse or reproach her!

Related Characters: Miss Lucy Freeman/Mrs. Lucy Sumner (speaker), Miss Eliza Wharton, Miss Julia Granby, Mrs. M. Wharton
Page Number: 140
Explanation and Analysis:

Upon your reflecting and steady mind, my dear Julia, I need not inculcate the lessons which may be drawn from this woe-fraught tale; but for the sake of my sex in general, I wish it engraved upon every heart, that virtue alone, independent of the trappings of wealth, the parade of equipage, and the adulation of gallantry, can secure lasting felicity. From the melancholy story of Eliza Wharton, let the American fair learn to reject with disdain every insinuation derogatory to their true dignity and honor. Let them despise, and for ever banish the man, who can glory in the seduction of innocence and the ruin of reputation. To associate, is to approve; to approve, is to be betrayed!

Related Characters: Miss Lucy Freeman/Mrs. Lucy Sumner (speaker), Miss Eliza Wharton, Major Peter Sanford, Miss Julia Granby
Page Number: 141
Explanation and Analysis: