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Georgiana Cavendish: Critical Recognition

Georgiana Cavendish - Critical Reception

Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire was an aristocrat that lived a boisterous lifestyle fueled with public fame and fortune. She was a social activist, experienced political campaigner for the Whig party, scientist and an underrated author during her time. French diplomat Thomas Lounes presents her character by stating, “When she appeared every eye was turned towards her; when absent she was the subject of universal conversation” ^[1] The London Chronicle and other newspaper editors identified that her outgoing charisma and dazzling character created commercial value that would allow them to increase their overall newspaper sales. ^[1] The end of the 1770’s was defined by the emergence of the English press that consisted of nine newspapers and Georgiana had become a national figure that readers felt attached to. ^[1] Historically, Lady Cavendish was not a well-known author due to the fact that she was very discrete about her literary pieces. However, contemporary society has brought a resurgence of 18th century woman writers into the limelight. In her spare time Georgiana wrote epistolary novels, poems, and manuscript plays. The purpose of this page is to analyze how scholars and readers have interpreted and recognized the literary text within Lady Cavendish’s career.

James Raven along with other modern day scholars believe that Georgiana’s published works may have been overlooked back in the 18th century because many authors at the time feared public ridicule. ^[2] At the age of 16, Georgiana completed her first published novel as an anonymous writer titled “Emma; Or, The Unfortunate Attachment.” This story was an autobiographical perspective of a virtuous girl that suffers complications within her arranged marriage that is plagued by adultery and neglect. Modern day author, Jonathan Gross has high levels of praise and has expanded this project to create a unique and more detailed introduction to this classic. ^[3] The Byron Journal writes, “This edition of this extraordinary novel, certainly sentimental, is a triumph of tenacious scholarship.” ^[3] The Jane Austen Society of North America endorses Gross by stating, “Scholars of this period must applaud the republication of any 18th century novel.” ^[3] Criticism for Emma comes from writer Hannah Moore back on July 20, 1778 as she declares, “A novel by a lady of quality seems to be now almost as common and often I believe as bad a things, as verses by a person of honour was in the last age.” ^[2] The Suny Press provides modern day criticism for Emma because there is a certain degree of ambiguity of who the exact author is. ^[2] Georgiana Cavendish published this novel without crediting herself due to the fact that she was the spouse to one of England’s most powerful men, along with being an infamous Whig Party campaign figure. Gross conveys that the only form of external evidence that has been found is a 1784 Dublin Edition of Emma in which the title page says that is, ‘Written by the author of The Sylph.’ ^[4] which happens to be Georgiana’s only other novel and may declare her as the rightful author.

Georgiana Cavendish’s second published work, “ The Sylph” was another autobiographical novel that structured around the assembly of letters written by the protagonist to her sisters. The story describes a young bride’s arrival within high-class, London society that narrates the loneliness throughout the events of an arranged marriage, a miscarriage, and other unfortunate experiences involving the vulnerability of women in society.

(The Sylph 1:135-38) Quoted from the character of Julia Stanley

“My conduct in the eye of the world is irreproachable. My lord kept a mistress from the first moment of his marriage. What law excludes a woman from doing the same? Marriage is now a necessary kind of barter, and an alliance of families.” ^[5]

Scholar Sarah Johnson wrote that, “This witty accomplished portrait of Georgian society, written from the unique perspective of its biggest trendsetter, demonstrates Georgiana’s ironic awareness of its many hypocrisies.” ^[6] Johnson believes that Georgiana is characterized as a famous socialite but is crippled by her compulsive gambling and drinking habit that she despises her own identity. The Sylph was well written that it would eventually be published in three different editions, however the success of the novel was driven by the sexual license and violence that was condemned by many readers throughout the years. ^[6] The thematic focus consisted of a nefarious London society that was consumed of aristocrats committing to shameful lifestyles. The 18th century British novelist, Hester Thrale calls the novel “obscene & vicious” and a reviewer for the Gentleman’s Magazine “thought that it displayed too great a knowledge of the ton, and of the worst, to be written by a young lady.” ^[7] Modern day reader and scholar, Li-Ping Geng address further criticism writing, “The graphic expose of the shockingly depraved world, in which nothing was permitted but everything was allowed, offended the sensibility of some contemporary readers.” ^[7] Georgiana Cavendish receives criticism from Geng and others that undermine the integrity of the authorial ownership. Lady Georgiana never publicly admitted authorship and Geng, proclaims, “The English Short Title Catalog names her as the author, however there is little evidence to suggest that she was responsible for it.” ^[7] Thomas Lowndes first published The Sylph in December 1778 ^[8]. James Raven references The English Novel, 1770-1779, arguing that there is sufficient documentation taken from the financial records of Lowndes that attribute ownership to Sophia Briscoe. ^[2] Literary scholar, Siv Gøril Brandtzæg builds upon these doubts to disclose the fact that, “Publishers within the Irish book industry received geographical exemption from British copyright laws and were known to take considerable liberties when producing reprints.” ^[4] By falsely attributing ownership to a famous political figure such as Georgiana Cavendish, the author of the novel would have been recognized by a larger mass of people leading to larger revenue streams collected by the publishers. ^[4] In 1998, Amanda Foreman wrote an autobiographical novel that covers the distinguished life of Lady Cavendish. Foreman analyzes that Georgiana has always had criticism to authorship of the The Sylph and Emma, however she exposes these false claims by including a quote that is used in a letter to her mother discussing her problems in a new city and longing to come home. Georgiana writes, “I should be very happy to be if I could borrow some friendly Sylph and a pair of wings that I may pay you a visit next time.” ^[1]

Georgiana Cavendish’s least famous work consisted of poems. Her only acknowledged poem that would eventually be published during the last few years of her life was titled, "The Passage of the Mountain of Saint Gothard," which appeared in a pirated edition in the Morning Chronicle on December 20, 1799 ^[9]. Due to an affair with the Prime Minister, Charles Grey, Georgiana at the time was exiled in France and this poem was written to discuss the terrible feeling of absence she had for her children. ^[1] At the time, English literary critic Samuel Taylor Coleridge celebrates this poem, “Rich viands and the pleasurable wine/Were yours unearned by toil” he wrote. ^[9]

Georgiana shifted her focus to the dramatic context of theatre. Zillia was a 1782 dramatic play that was never published, but was written in prose by Lady Cavendish intended as an intimate text to her dear mother. ^[10] “The dearest mother to an invaluable child. The heart of a mother likewise deining [sic] to be the heart a friend who should – must work miracles.” - Georgiana Cavendish (24) ^{[10] [8]} The play illuminates female education during the 18th century with the context of a young girl attempting to find a “best” friend that she comes to realize is her mother. Imke Heuer states that Georgiana created a pedagogical drama such as Zillia, because she wanted to wholeheartedly invest within the educational aspect of drama. ^[10] “Devonshire’s example shows the complex links between the public domains of politics, the theatre and printed literature and private sphere of the salon and elite theatricals.” ^[10] 18th century Scottish judge and literary critic, Francis Jeffrey praises Georgiana’s Zillia to acknowledge that the play’s most important aspect is to be able to create a theatrical experience for the reader that can interpret “invisible” actions on stage to characters. ^{[8] [10]} Jeffrey also comments that the success of a dramatic literary work is not by judged based upon commercial success. This is what is known as “ closet drama” in which “ epistolary fiction and poetry is situated on the margins between two different modes of reception.” ^[10] The only criticism Georgiana received Zillia, came French poet Ponce-Denis Ecouchard-Lebrun criticizes Georgiana exclaiming that upper-class women such as herself do not have any need “live by the pen,” or write dramas because they are only propelled to do this out of sheer boredom. ^[10]