The Reform'd Coquet, Familiar Letters Betwixt a Gentleman and a Lady, and The Accomplish'd Rake

by Mary Davys

The Reform'd Coquette (1724) tells the story of Amoranda, a good but flighty young woman whose tendency toward careless behavior is finally tamed. Familiar Letters Betwixt a Gentleman and a Lady (1725), a satire of both political debate and women's place in society, portrays a Tory man and a Whig woman who find themselves discussing love, even though they have pledged to remain platonic friends. The Accomplish'd Rake (1727) follows the exploits of Sir John Galliard from youth to manhood, when he is forced to accept responsibility for his actions. Mary Davys (1674?-1732) was one of the earliest female novelists in Britain, and after the death of her husband she supported herself by writing and running a coffeehouse. Her writing sparkles, especially in its witty dialogue. Although these three short epistolary novels are framed in a clear moral universe in which virtue is rewarded and transgressions is punished, her works are not overtly religious and punishment is as likely to come from society as from providence.

Genres: 18th Century, Fiction, Novels, Womens, Classics

304 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1973

About the author

Mary Davys was an Irish novelist and playwright.

Reviews

[Bella Fiorucci]

honestly this novel was fairly unremarkable and predictable in my mind

[Sarah]

Honestly this was so witty. Mary Davy’s was writing dramatic rom-coms before Jane Austen was born, and she does not get enough recognition! It’s a bit ridiculous but all the best things are. I read this for school and it was one of the least tiresome reading assignments I’ve been given to date.

[Sherwood Smith]

Mary Davys was more fascinating than her novels, actually--like Eliza Haywood. These women did their best to make their way in the world of the pen, despite men having a death grip on it. But they had the example of Aphra Behn before them (the bad rep as well as the success) and so they kept at it.

Davys ended up running a coffeehouse in Cambridge to survive, and it's easy to imagine her acting as a kind of hostess, talking with the young scholars as well as doing the constant drudgery involved in restaurant work.

Her novels are fascinating reading for the insights they give into the evolving form of the novel. This is all pre-Richardson stuff, novels aren't The Thing yet (plays are, and she only mounted one, to which the relatives of the local Big Families came in case she slanged them and they'd have to break up the theatre), but worth perusing, I think, if one is interested in the history of woman writers.

[Erin]

Another week, another English Lit read. This one suffered from trying to be far cleverer than the author actually was, with the result that I sighed my way through, checking how far I was from the end every 5 minutes.

At least there was an effort made?

[Leanne Schwartz]

Dense historical writing, interesting sexual politics of the time.

[Alice]

Perfectly ridiculous but the satirical touch makes it enjoyable