Class Distinctions in Regency England
By Philippa Jane Keyworth I want to thank English Historical Fiction Authors for having me here. It is a real privilege to guest post, and I want to thank them for giving me the opportunity. Today I want to write about a well-known primary source, The Mirror of Graces by a Lady of Distinction. This book was first published in London in 1811, and, presumably due to its popularity, it was subsequently re-printed in New York in 1813 and 1815, in Edinburgh in 1830 and then again in Boston in 1831. The copy that I own is an enlarged photo-reprint and spans some 239 pages or more. At such a length, I can hardly say that this article will cover the entirety of the book or will be a full analysis of the source. However, I wanted to share a little something about this captivating text which I am currently studying. Specifically, I have been drawn to the passage entitled, 'ON THE PECULIARITIES OF DRESS, WITH REFERENCE TO THE STATION OF THE WEARER'. It strikes me that when reading a Rege...