completely unmanned by remorse and apprehension.

The contrast between the characters of the gay and thoughtless wife and
the pensive, pure-minded girl is skilfully managed, and the various
steps in the downward course of Althea's nature are exhibited in detail.
Like Anadea in "The Fatal Secret" she retires to her chamber not to
sleep, but to indulge in the freedom of her thoughts, which are poured
forth at length to let the reader into the secrets of her passion-ridden
bosom. To reveal character in action was beyond the limit of Eliza
Haywood's technique; and once the story is well under way, Althea
becomes as colorless as only a heroine of romance can be. But the
author's effort to differentiate the female characters before the action
begins, and to make a portion of the plot turn upon a psychological
change in one of them shows that even sensation-loving readers were
demanding a stricter veracity of treatment than had hitherto been
necessary.

But perhaps the most careful interlocking of character and event to be
found among these embryo novels is contained in "The Life of Madam De
Villesache. Written by a Lady, who was an Eye-witness of the greatest
part of her Adventures, and faithfully Translated from her French
Manuscript. By Mrs. Eliza Haywood" (1727). Since no original source for
this story has come to light, we may probably assume that the French
manuscript was a complete fabrication on the part of the English author.
At any rate, the tale was one of passion and intrigue such as she
delighted to compose.

Henrietta, daughter of a certain Duke, grows up in obscure circumstances
to be a miracle of beauty. When her father comes to carry her to court,
her rustic lover, Clermont, pleads so effectually that she consents to a