Evelina, or, The history of a young lady's entrance into the world - Fanny Burney

Written in the form of letters, this 1778 novel chronicles a young woman's transition from provincial life into the smart sets of London and a resort community near Bristol. A witty satire of 18th-century society, the story marks a significant precursor to the works of Jane Austen and Maria Edgeworth.

Frances ""Fanny"" Burney (1752-1840) was among the first and most influential of English women authors. The self-educated writer anonymously published Evelina, her first novel, in 1778. Burney's witty, satirical style had a significant effect on Jane Austen and William Thackeray, among others.