Belinda is an 1801 novel by the Irish writer Maria Edgeworth. The novel was Edgeworth's second published, and was considered controversial in its day for its depiction of an interracial marriage between Lucy and Juba. Literary critics argue that Jane Austen's naturalistic female characters owed a debt to this society novel's spirited heroine.
Belinda is a young lady who lives with her aunt, Mrs. Stanhope. Being unwed, Belinda is sent to live with Lady Delacour, whom Belinda considers fascinating and charming. Lady Delacour believes herself to be dying of breast cancer. She hides her emotional distress caused by her impending death and poor relationships with her family from Belinda through wit and charm. The first half of the novel is concerned with the blooming friendship between Belinda and Lady Delacour...