Frances Burney Vs. Samuel Johnson

Frances Burney vs. Samuel Johnson

Evelina, written by Frances Burney, is a story told in a series of letters between a beautiful and innocent young girl and her overprotective guardian, Reverend Villars. Through the course of the letters it is often seen that there is a connection between Burney’s storyline and the guidelines set forth in Samuel Johnson Rambler #4. The connection found between the two works is the similar views between Johnson and Villars, and Johnson’s theme of overlooking the bad qualities in a person’s character. Burney does not always follow Johnson’s guidelines, she does divert away from them through Evelina’s judgmental character.

Reverend Villars, Evelina’s guardian, is a man of countless morals and virtues. He lives in this world where he believes everything outside of it is evil. He is afraid to let Evelina experience the real world on her own, because he fears that she will be faced with great danger and disappointment: “defend you from danger, save you from distress, and keep vice as distant from your heart!” (19). As seen Villars is extremely protective of Evelina. He wants nothing but the best for Evelina, which is what all guardians want for their children.

Villars character is an image of Samuel Johnson; they share similar views and beliefs on the world. In Johnson’s Rambler #4, he makes this statement that men are “cunning” that they have this manipulative side about them which gives them the ability to take advantage and take over the innocence of young women: “The purpose of these writings is surely not only to shew mankind, but to provide that they may be seen hereafter with less hazard; to teach the means of avoiding the snares which are laid by Treachery for Innocence, […]” (23-24). Through this guideline Johnson is setting forth a statement to warn people to protect themselves of others, because there are people in the world that will take advantage of a persons innocence and cause them nothing but pain.

Villars throughout his letters to Evelina he is continuously warning her to be careful of the men she surrounds herself with, because they will hurt her and take advantage of her and her feelings:

You must converse with him no more; he imagines, from the pli-

ability of your temper, that he may offend you with impunity; but his

behaviour justifies, nay, calls for, your avowed resentment: do not, there-

fore hesitate in forbidding him your sight. (181)

Reverend Villars is explaining to Evelina that he does not trust Sir. Clement, that he is disrespectful and is inconsiderate of her feelings. That she needs to stay as far away from him as possible. Villars thought of Sir. Clement are the same thoughts that Johnson expresses through his guidelines towards people. Burney admired Johnson and his works, and she did a great job creating a character that best resembles him.

Another guideline of Johnson’s that Burney follows is, the theme of overlooking the bad qualities in a person’s character. Johnson states that novel writers have a tendency to “mingle good and bad qualities in their principal personages […]” (24), which causes the readers “as [they] accompany them through their adventures with delight, and are led by degrees to interest ourselves in their favour, we lose the adherence of their faults, […]” (24). This thought terrifies Johnson, how can readers become sympathetic to a character that expresses strong faults. There is something wrong with this picture.

Burney does this exact same thing with Lord Orville. Evelina’s first meeting with Lord Orville was rather a poor experience. After not taking much interest in dancing or talking with him, Lord Orville insulted Evelina by calling her “A poor weak girl!” (28). After hearing of this insult, Evelina along with the readers began to think poorly