Brunton Mary

Discipline - The Original Classic Edition

Brunton Mary

Mary Brunton started to write her first novel, Self-Control in 1809 and it was published in 1811. One admirer was Charlotte Barrett (1786?1870), niece of the novelists Fanny Burney and Sarah Burney and mother of the writer Julia Maitland. Writing to Sarah on 17 May 1811, she commented, I read Self-Control and like it extremely all except some vulgarity meant to be jocular which tired me to death, but I think the principal character charming and well supported and the book really gives good lessons.. <p> Jane Austen had reservations, describing it in a letter as an excellently-meant, elegantly-written work, without anything of Nature or Probability in it. In contrasting self-control with sensibility, she was moving towards a redefinition of femininity. Self-Control was widely read and went into its third edition in 1812. A French translation (Laure Montreville, ou l?Empire sur soimême) appeared in Paris in 1829. The anonymous novels Things by their Right Names (1812) and Rhoda by Frances Jacson were initially ascribed to her as well. <p> The other novel that Mary Brunton completed was Discipline (1814). Like Walter Scotts Waverley, published in the same year, it had Highland scenes that were much appreciated. It went into three editions in two years. <p> This is a high quality book of the original classic edition. <p> This is a freshly published edition of this culturally important work, which is now, at last, again available to you. <p> Enjoy this classic work. These few paragraphs distill the contents and give you a quick look inside: <p> For this selection, which will probably obtain sympathy only from the base-born, my father was not without reason; for, to the pride of birth it was doubtless owing that my grandfather, a cadet of an ancient family, was doomed to starve upon a curacy, in revenge for his contaminating the blood of the Percys by an unequal alliance; and, when disappointment and privation had brought him to an early grave, it was probably the same sentiment which induced his relations to prolong his punishment in the person of his widow and infants, who, with all possible dignity and unconcern, were left to their fate. <p> …I had often occasion to rue its triumphs, since not even the cares of my fond mother could always shield me from the consequences of my perverseness; and by the time I had reached my eighth year, I was one of the most troublesome, and, in spite of great natural hilarity of temper, at times one of the most unhappy beings, in that great metropolis which contains such variety of annoyance and of misery. <p> …I observed (for my agonies by no means precluded observation) that my mother only replied by a look, which seemed to say that she could have spared this apostrophe; but my father growing a little more out of humour as he felt himself somewhat in the wrong, chose to answer to that look, by saying, in an angry tone, It really becomes you well, Mrs Percy, to pretend that I spoil the child, when you know you can refuse her nothing.