Camilla (Burney Novel) - Literary References

Literary References

Jane Austen referred to Camilla and other novels in her novel, Northanger Abbey: “'And what are you reading, Miss — ?' 'Oh! It is only a novel!' replies the young lady, while she lays down her book with affected indifference, or momentary shame. 'It is only Cecilia, or Camilla, or Belinda'; or, in short, only some work in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humour, are conveyed to the world in the best–chosen language."

Later on, a character who knows little about literature (John Thorpe) and has just stated that the only recent novel he likes is The Monk (an over-the-top tale of lurid Gothic horror), the rest being "stupid," says: "...'I was thinking of that other stupid book, written by that woman they make such a fuss about, she who married the French emigrant.' 'I suppose you mean Camilla? 'Yes, that's the book; such unnatural stuff!... it is the horridest nonsense you can imagine; there's nothing in the world in it but an old man's playing at see-saw and learning Latin...' This critique, the justness of which was unfortunately lost on poor Catherine, brought them to the door of Mrs. Thorpe's lodgings."

Lady Delacour in Maria Edgeworth's novel Belinda also mentions Camilla to the heroine Belinda, saying, "You are thinking that you are like Camilla, and I like Mrs Mitten".