Camilla; Or, A Picture of Youth (1796) is a novel by Frances Burney.
Both satirical and serious, comedic and Gothic, Burney's novel helped
establish her reputation as one of the most popular writers of
eighteenth-century England. Referred to in Jane Austen's Northanger
Abbey (1803) and Maria Edgeworth's Belinda (1801), Camilla; Or, A
Picture of Youth was a popular and critically acclaimed novel that
served as inspiration for some of the leading literary figures of the
early nineteenth century. After years of silence, Mr. Augustus Tyrold
moves to the rural estate of Cleves to be near his brother Sir Hugh, who
lives at a local parsonage. Lonely and crippled, Sir Hugh hopes to act
as a mentor to his nieces and nephews. He takes a liking to Camilla, the
middle daughter, and endeavors to make her his heiress while raising her
in his own household. Although initially cautious, Mr. and Mrs. Tyrold
eventually send Camilla to live at Sir Hugh's home, where her uncle
decides to host her tenth birthday party. When a lapse in judgement
leads to Camilla's younger sister contracting smallpox, Sir Hugh
attempts to remedy the situation by naming Eugenia his heiress instead.
Living with her uncle, Eugenia enjoys an unusually thorough education
under the tutelage of Dr. Orkbourne, a classical scholar who quickly
takes to the enthusiastic and intelligent young girl. Meanwhile, Camilla
becomes entangled in a love triangle involving her father's ward Edgar
and her cousin Indiana. Despite the mutual affection between Edgar and
Camilla, Indiana has entertained the thought of marrying the handsome,
wealthy man from a young age, when Sir Hugh thought it prudent to
predict their future marriage. As Sir Hugh's plans for the Tyrold youths
meet increasingly serious obstacles, and as debts threaten the wellbeing
of the entire family, Camilla is forced to navigate a world in which
decisions seem always to be made in her interest by those with their own
in mind. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset
manuscript, this edition of Frances Burney's Camilla; Or, A Picture of
Youth is a classic of English literature reimagined for modern readers.
