Hannah Webster Foster was an American novelist whose works delved into the depths of the human spirit and the social norms of her time. Her stylistic prowess and keen insight into human relationships made her a notable figure in American literature. Foster explored themes of love, morality, and societal expectations through her masterful storytelling. Her novels continue to resonate with readers for their timeless examination of the human experience.
The book is a facsimile reprint, which means it reproduces the original text, potentially including imperfections like marks, notations, marginalia, and flawed pages. This edition offers an authentic glimpse into the historical context of the original work, allowing readers to experience it as it was originally presented.
Written in epistolary form and drawn from actual events, The Power of Sympathy (1789) and The Coquette (1797) were two of the earliest novels published in America. William Hill Brown's The Power of Sympathy reflects eighteenth-century America's preoccupation with the role of women as safekeepers of the country's morality. A novel about the dangers of succumbing to sexual temptations and the rewards of resistance, it was meant to promote women's moral rectitude, and the letters through which the story is told are filled with advice on the proper relationships between the sexes. Like The Power of Sympathy, Hannah Webster Foster's The Coquette is concerned with womanly virtue. Eliza Wharton is eager to enjoy a bit of freedom before settling down to domestic life and begins a flirtation with the handsome, rakish Sanford. Their letters trace their relationship from its romantic beginnings to the transgression that inevitably brings their exclusion from proper society. In her Introduction, Carla Mulford discusses the novels' importance in the development of American literature and as vivid reflections of the goal to establish a secure republic built on the virtue of its citizens.
The book has significant historical importance, prompting efforts to preserve it for future generations. By republishing it in a modern format, the aim is to ensure that its valuable insights and contributions are not forgotten, allowing contemporary readers to engage with its enduring relevance.