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Letter 60
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Coquette, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Women and Society
Sex and Virtue
Marriage and Social Mobility
Friendship
Summary
Analysis
“Julia, you say, approves not Major Sanford’s particular attention to you,” Lucy writes Eliza. “Neither do I.” Lucy begs Eliza to be careful with Sanford’s professed friendship and tells her not to listen to his compliments. “It is an insult upon your understanding for him to offer them,” Lucy says. “It is derogatory to virtue for you to hear them.” Lucy goes on to remind Eliza that her reputation is an “inestimable jewel, the loss of which can never be repaired.” Before closing her letter, Lucy again attempts to persuade Eliza to come to Boston.
Lucy is just as judgmental of Eliza as Julia is. She openly disapproves of Sanford and explicitly states that Eliza is lacking virtue simply because she entertains Sanford’s attention. As Lucy rants about Eliza’s immorality, she neglects to recognize the good things about Eliza—such as her dedication and loyalty to her friends and family—but Lucy ignores her good qualities and condemns her based solely on the bad.
Themes
Literary Devices
