The Female Quixote, by Charlotte Lennox

Preface

Book 1.

1. Contains a Turn at Court, neither new nor surprising. — Some useless Additions to a fine Lady's Education. — The bad Effects of a whimsical Study, which some will say is borrowed from Cervantes.
2. Contains a Description of a Lady's Dress, in Fashion not much above Two thousand Years ago. — The Beginning of an Adventure which seems to promise a great deal.
3. In which the Adventure goes on after the accustomed Manner.
4. A Mistake, which produces no great Consequences — An extraordinary Comment upon a Behaviour natural enough — An Instance of a Lady's Compassion for her Lover, which the Reader may possibly think not very compassionate.
5. In which one would imagine the Adventure concluded, but for a Promise that something else is to come.
6. In which the Adventure is really concluded; tho', possibly, not as the Reader expected.
7. In which some Contradictions are very happily reconciled.
8. In which a Mistake, in point of Ceremony, is rectified.
9. In which a Lover is severely punished for Faults which the Reader never would have discovered, if he had not been told.
10. Contains several Incidents, in which the Reader is expected to be extremely interested.
11. In which a logical Argument is unseasonably interrupted.
12. In which the Reader will find a Specimen of the true Pathetic, in a Speech of Oroondates. — The Adventure of the Books.
13. The Adventure of the Books continued.

Book 2.

1. In which the Adventure of the Books is happily concluded.
2. Which contains a very natural Incident.
3. Which treats of a consolatory Visit, and other grave Matters.
4. Which contains some common Occurrences, but placed in a new Light.
5. The History of Miss Groves, interspersed with some very curious Observations.
6. Containing what a judicious Reader will hardly approve.
7. Which treats of the Olympic Games.
8. Which concludes with an excellent moral Sentence.
9. Containing some curious Anecdotes.
10. In which our Heroine is engaged in a very perilous Adventure.
11. In which the Lady is wonderfully delivered.

Book 3.

1. Two Conversations, out of which the Reader may pick up a great deal.
2. A solemn Interview.
3. In which the Interview is ended, not much to the Lover's Satisfaction, but exactly conformable to the Rules of Romance.
4. In which our Heroine is greatly disappointed.
5. Some curious Instructions for relating an History.
6. A very Heroic Chapter.
7. In which our Heroine is suspected of Insensibility.
8. By which we hope the Reader will be differently affected.

Book 4.

1. In which our Heroine discovers her Knowlege in Astronomy.
2. In which a very pleasing Conversation is left unfinished.
3. Definition of Love and Beauty. — The necessary Qualities of a Hero and Heroine.
4. In which our Heroine is engaged in a new Adventure.
5. Being a Chapter of Mistakes.
6. In which the Mistakes are continued.
7. In which the Mistakes are not yet cleared up.
8. Which contains some necessary Consequences of the foregoing Mistakes. — A Soliloquy on a LoveLetter.
9. Containing a LoveLetter in the Heroic Stile; with some occasional Reasonings by Lucy, full of Wit and Simplicity.

Book 5.

1. A Dispute very learnedly handled by two Ladies, in which the Reader may take what Part he pleases.
2. Which inculcates, by a very good Example, that a Person ought not to be too hasty in deciding a Question he does not perfectly understand.
3. In which our Heroine is in some little Confusion.
4. Where the Lady extricates herself out of her former Confusion, to the great Astonishment, we will suppose, of the Reader.
5. In which will be found one of the former Mistakes pursued, and another cleared up, to the great Satisfaction of Two Persons; among whom, the Reader, we expect, will make a Third.
6. Containing some Account of Thalestris, Queen of the Amazons, with other curious Anecdotes.

Book 6.

1. Containing the Beginning of Sir George's History; in which the ingenious Relator has exactly copied the Stile of Romance.
2. In which Sir George, continuing his surprising History, relates a most stupendous Instance of a Valour only to be parallelled by that of the great Oroondates, Caesareo, &c. &c. &c.
3. A LoveAdventure, after the Romantic Taste.
4. The Adventure continued.
5. An extraordinary Instance of Generosity in a Lover, somewhat resembling that of the great Artaxerxes, in Cassandra.
6. In which it will be seen, that the Lady is as generous as her Lover.
7. Containing an Incident full as probable as any in Scudery's Romances.
8. A single Combat fought with prodigious Valour, and described with amazing Accuracy.
9. In which the Reader will find a Description of a Beauty, in a Style truly sublime.
10. Wherein Sir George concludes his History; which produces an unexpected Effect.
11. Containing only a few Inferences, drawn from the foregoing Chapters.

Book 7.

1. For the Shortness of which the Length of the next shall make some Amends.
2. Not so long as was first intended; but contains, however, a surprising Adventure on the Road.
3. Which concludes with an authentic Piece of History.
4. In which one of our Heroine's Whims is justified, by some others full as whimsical.
5. Containing some historical Anecdotes, the Truth of which may possibly be doubted, as they are not to be found in any of the Historians.
6. Which contains some excellent Rules for Raillery.
7. In which the Author condescends to be very minute in the Description of our Heroine's Dress.
8. Some Reflexions very fit, and others very unfit for an AssemblyRoom.
9. Being a Chapter of the Satyrical Kind.
10. In which our Heroine justifies her own Notions by some very illustrious Examples.
11. In which our Heroine being mistaken herself, gives Occasion for a great many other Mistakes.
12. In which our Heroine reconciles herself to a mortifying Incident, by recollecting an Adventure in a Romance, similar to her own.
13. In which our Heroine's Extravagance will be thought, perhaps, to be carried to an extravagant Length.
14. A Dialogue between Arabella and Lucy, in which the latter seems to have the Advantage.

Book 8.

1. Contains the Conversation refer'd to in the last Chapter of the preceding Book.
2. In which our Heroine, as we presume, shews herself in two very different Lights.
3. The Contrast continued.
4. In which Mr. Glanville makes an unsuccessful Attempt upon Arabella.
5. In which is introduc'd a very singular Character.
6. Containing something which at first Sight may possibly puzzle the Reader.
7. In which if the Reader has not anticipated it, he will find an Explanation of some seeming Inconsistencies in the foregoing Chapter.
8. Which concludes Book the Eighth.

Book 9.

1. In which is related an admirable Adventure.
2. Which ends with a very unfavourable Prediction for our Heroine.
3. In which Arabella meets with another admirable Adventure.
4. In which is related the History of the Princess of Gaul.
5. A very mysterious Chapter.
6. Not much plainer than the former.
7. Containing indeed no great Matters, but being a Prelude to greater.
8. Which acquaints the Reader with two very extraordinary Accidents.
9. Which will be found to contain Information absolutely necessary for the right understanding of this History.
10. A short Chapter indeed, but full of Matter.
11. Being in the Author's Opinion, the best Chapter in this History.
12. In which the History is concluded.