History of Sir George Ellison-Pa (Eighteenth-Century Novels by Women) - Softcover

"The issues of slavery, female education, and marriage make it of interest to cultural critics." -- Wordsworth Circle "Offers the best biographical information hitherto published on Scott." -- Utopian Studies "Although Scott is largely unknown today, her writing was well received in its time and understandably so. Her voice is amiable and articulate, and, though sticking to popular 18th-century devices and a ladylike tone, she takes on provocative topics.... Today's readers will be struck by her conviction and relevance." -- Publishers Weekly "Fill(s) a genuine need among scholars and students interested in early British women novelists." -- Kritikon Litterarum "A striking example of both the reformist aspirations of sensibility and the political ambitions of women writers during the mid-century." -- British Journal for Eighteenth-Century Studies

The History of Sir George Ellison (1766) is an important novel, both utopian and dystopian. Sir George, a man of benevolence, follows the pattern of the female utopia set forth in Scott's first novel, A Description of Millenium Hall (1762). In this sequel, Scott addresses issues of slavery, marriage, education, law and social justice, class pretensions, and the position of women in society, consistently emphasizing the importance, for both genders and all classes and ages, of devoting one's life to meaningful work. Although she adopted a gradualist approach to reform, Scott's uncompromising revelation of the corruption of English society in her day is clear-sighted, arresting, and hard-hitting.