Friends Unmasked; or, Scenes in Real Life. A Novel Founded in Facts.
Author Details
Surname:Hutchinson
First Names:Miss A.A.
Gender:Female
Anonymous:No
Publication Details
Publisher:Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, Paternoster-Row.
Place:London
Date:1812
Novel Details
Genre:Didactic/moralising; domestic; epistolary; manners/society
Setting:not clear (epistolary novel)
Period:Contemporary
Plot
The author's aim, stated in the preface, is to demonstrate the virtue of virtue, and how those with less than perfect virtue will inevitably fall. As promised, the less virtuous characters (particularly Mrs. Fitzamor, who suggests infidelity might be acceptable) fall, while virtuous, mannerly (and usually titled) women succeed.
Overview of the Dialect
The author apologises for the 'inelegant style' of Mrs. Fitzamor's letters, but this seems to refer more to content than to style as they are all Standard English. However, Mrs. Thorn's letter to Mrs Salter (begins p. 87) is characterised by illiterate style - almost all eye-dialect and muddled homophones (e.g. 'My aimabel frends'). The Letter from Mrs Petronella Grenby to Mrs Fitzamor contains reported speech of Thomas, a servant and features contractions, idioms and respellings. There is some metalanguage of Welsh.
Speaker #1:Authorial voice (preface) - Individual
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Authorial voice (preface)
Gender:Female
Age:Adult - unspecified age
Narrative Voice:1st person
Role:Peripheral
Dialect Features:Metalanguage
Social Role
Social Role Description:
Social Role Category:
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:
Place of Origin Category:Unspecified
Extract #1 dialect features: Metalanguage
Speakers: All , Authorial voice (preface)
If my readers are disgusted with the flippancy, or the inelegant style of Mrs. Fitzamor's letters, I must confess, strange as it may appear, that my intentions will be fulfilled, as I have purposely introduced them to caution the young and inexperienced female against puerile epistolary compositions, which serve only to exhibit a want of taste and judgement.
(Vol. 1,p. vi)Speaker #2:Mrs Fitzamor - Socialite
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Mrs Fitzamor
Gender:Female
Age:Adult - unspecified age
Narrative Voice:1st person
Role:Central
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Respelling
Social Role
Social Role Description:Socialite
Social Role Category:Aristocracy or gentry
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Unspecified, but presumably England
Place of Origin Category:England
[Writing]My aimabel friends long and hinterested litter cam unekspectedly misses, hoo to be sure popped in on us like , as I may say, a summer mornin in Krissmas time.--When the pochase drove up I flew down stares, and had the misfortin to tred upon poor pussy's tale , and squeeged it so turrible that our kotchman sais he must mak a fashunable crop of him. Glad as I was to wellkum my kind lady, I thowt I shold ha gorn into high stirricks about poor Tootenooten's tale .
(Vol. 1,p. 87)Speaker #3:Sarah Thorn (later Trueman) - Unspecified
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Sarah Thorn (later Trueman)
Gender:Female
Age:Adult - unspecified age
Narrative Voice:1st person
Role:Significant
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
Social Role
Social Role Description:Unspecified
Social Role Category:Unspecified
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Unspecified, but presumably England
Place of Origin Category:England
[Writing]My aimabel friends long and hinterested litter cam unekspectedly misses, hoo to be sure popped in on us like , as I may say, a summer mornin in Krissmas time.--When the pochase drove up I flew down stares, and had the misfortin to tred upon poor pussy's tale , and squeeged it so turrible that our kotchman sais he must mak a fashunable crop of him. Glad as I was to wellkum my kind lady, I thowt I shold ha gorn into high stirricks about poor Tootenooten's tale .
(Vol. 1,p. 87)Speakers: All , Sarah Thorn (later Trueman)
My dere and amabel friend,
[Writing] We ar strangly haltered since I tuk up pen to rite , but has I told yu befor no halterashon can mak mee furget hoo is hoo , and that yu wil alwais be dere to mee .--Well to be shur , Rebeka hood a thort that pur Sally shud kum to Lunnun and mak hur luvur kum ater hur to mary ?--So it is, and as ther was no sayin no to Tummus , I am now Mistres Trueman.
(Vol. 3,p. 240)[Writing] We ar strangly haltered since I tuk up pen to rite , but has I told yu befor no halterashon can mak mee furget hoo is hoo , and that yu wil alwais be dere to mee .--Well to be shur , Rebeka hood a thort that pur Sally shud kum to Lunnun and mak hur luvur kum ater hur to mary ?--So it is, and as ther was no sayin no to Tummus , I am now Mistres Trueman.
Speakers: All , Sarah Thorn (later Trueman)
[Writing] What an odish wurld we du live in Rebeka! The times are so haltured at leest , that yu woodent no things agen if chanse shud so mak it that yu wud be mee a little time and I yu .
(Vol. 2,p. 213)Speaker #4:Thomas - Servant
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Thomas
Gender:Male
Age:Adult - unspecified age
Narrative Voice:1st person
Role:Minor
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Metalanguage, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling
Social Role
Social Role Description:Servant
Social Role Category:Servant
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Unspecified, but presumably England
Place of Origin Category:England
Extract #1 dialect features: Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Metalanguage, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling
You cannot possibly anticipate the cause of this melancholy catastrophe; therefore I shall give you the whole account as I had it from Thomas:
"Well, Thomas; have you seen the Baronet?"
"Oh, yes, my Lady: seen him sure enough: but he did not see me, that's sartain sure."
"How so?--Did you not deliver my letter?"
" Why , he couldn't ha' read it, my Lady, himself; so Oliver read it for him."
"To him, I suppose you mean?--Is he ill?"
" Oh ! no, my Lady; he's better than ever he was, I'm sartain , if he hasn't fallen in with the old gentleman."
"What old gentleman?--Explain yourself."
" Why you see, my Lady, Sir Richard has kicked the bucket ."
"Kicked the bucket! I do not understand you, Thomas: pray tell me plainly how you left him."
"Why then , my Lady, if I must, I must you know, and so by your leave I'll give you the true and particular account as I had it from my brother Oliver-- brother did I say!--No; I don't mean to call him brother any more, for I'm sartin sure the same milk never run down our throats, otherwise it turned to gall on Oliver's stomach. Well , but this is not the purpose. I spent two days hunting out master and man.
[some dialogue omitted]
"That is only my way of talking, my Lady, you see."
"In the name of God, then, speak a little plainer. When! How! where did he lose his life? Who shot him, I say?"
(Vol. 2,p. 2-5)"Well, Thomas; have you seen the Baronet?"
"Oh, yes, my Lady: seen him sure enough: but he did not see me, that's sartain sure."
"How so?--Did you not deliver my letter?"
" Why , he couldn't ha' read it, my Lady, himself; so Oliver read it for him."
"To him, I suppose you mean?--Is he ill?"
" Oh ! no, my Lady; he's better than ever he was, I'm sartain , if he hasn't fallen in with the old gentleman."
"What old gentleman?--Explain yourself."
" Why you see, my Lady, Sir Richard has kicked the bucket ."
"Kicked the bucket! I do not understand you, Thomas: pray tell me plainly how you left him."
"Why then , my Lady, if I must, I must you know, and so by your leave I'll give you the true and particular account as I had it from my brother Oliver-- brother did I say!--No; I don't mean to call him brother any more, for I'm sartin sure the same milk never run down our throats, otherwise it turned to gall on Oliver's stomach. Well , but this is not the purpose. I spent two days hunting out master and man.
[some dialogue omitted]
"That is only my way of talking, my Lady, you see."
"In the name of God, then, speak a little plainer. When! How! where did he lose his life? Who shot him, I say?"
Speaker #5:Petronella Grenby - Gentry
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Petronella Grenby
Gender:Female
Age:Adult - unspecified age
Narrative Voice:1st person
Role:Central
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Metalanguage, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling
Social Role
Social Role Description:Gentry
Social Role Category:Aristocracy or gentry
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Unspecified, but presumably England
Place of Origin Category:England
Extract #1 dialect features: Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Metalanguage, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling
You cannot possibly anticipate the cause of this melancholy catastrophe; therefore I shall give you the whole account as I had it from Thomas:
"Well, Thomas; have you seen the Baronet?"
"Oh, yes, my Lady: seen him sure enough: but he did not see me, that's sartain sure."
"How so?--Did you not deliver my letter?"
" Why , he couldn't ha' read it, my Lady, himself; so Oliver read it for him."
"To him, I suppose you mean?--Is he ill?"
" Oh ! no, my Lady; he's better than ever he was, I'm sartain , if he hasn't fallen in with the old gentleman."
"What old gentleman?--Explain yourself."
" Why you see, my Lady, Sir Richard has kicked the bucket ."
"Kicked the bucket! I do not understand you, Thomas: pray tell me plainly how you left him."
"Why then , my Lady, if I must, I must you know, and so by your leave I'll give you the true and particular account as I had it from my brother Oliver-- brother did I say!--No; I don't mean to call him brother any more, for I'm sartin sure the same milk never run down our throats, otherwise it turned to gall on Oliver's stomach. Well , but this is not the purpose. I spent two days hunting out master and man.
[some dialogue omitted]
"That is only my way of talking, my Lady, you see."
"In the name of God, then, speak a little plainer. When! How! where did he lose his life? Who shot him, I say?"
(Vol. 2,p. 2-5)"Well, Thomas; have you seen the Baronet?"
"Oh, yes, my Lady: seen him sure enough: but he did not see me, that's sartain sure."
"How so?--Did you not deliver my letter?"
" Why , he couldn't ha' read it, my Lady, himself; so Oliver read it for him."
"To him, I suppose you mean?--Is he ill?"
" Oh ! no, my Lady; he's better than ever he was, I'm sartain , if he hasn't fallen in with the old gentleman."
"What old gentleman?--Explain yourself."
" Why you see, my Lady, Sir Richard has kicked the bucket ."
"Kicked the bucket! I do not understand you, Thomas: pray tell me plainly how you left him."
"Why then , my Lady, if I must, I must you know, and so by your leave I'll give you the true and particular account as I had it from my brother Oliver-- brother did I say!--No; I don't mean to call him brother any more, for I'm sartin sure the same milk never run down our throats, otherwise it turned to gall on Oliver's stomach. Well , but this is not the purpose. I spent two days hunting out master and man.
[some dialogue omitted]
"That is only my way of talking, my Lady, you see."
"In the name of God, then, speak a little plainer. When! How! where did he lose his life? Who shot him, I say?"
Speaker #6:Old dame - Servant
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Old dame
Gender:Female
Age:Adult - elderly
Narrative Voice:1st person
Role:Peripheral
Dialect Features:Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling
Social Role
Social Role Description:Servant
Social Role Category:Servant
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Unspecified, but presumably England
Place of Origin Category:England
"Yes, sure enow ," rejoined the old dame, angrily addressing Oliver. "you left the poor gemman saying as how he was dead, when all awhile he had made a faint; and I, thinking of nothing at all as I sat at the door, was frightened out of my old wits to hear the dead groan: so starting up, I fetched neighbour Clodpole, who comed , and seed if the poor gemman was dead right out , or alive; when, Lord bless your Honor! who'd have believed their own senses? Why as sure as God's in Heaven, he opened his eyes, and spoke to Jemmy Clodpole, who is a good hearted fellow, and nothing afraid an sure .
(Vol. 2,p. 13)Speaker #7:Maid - Individual
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Maid
Gender:Female
Age:Adult - young
Narrative Voice:1st person
Role:Peripheral
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling
Social Role
Social Role Description:
Social Role Category:Servant
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Unspecified, but presumably England
Place of Origin Category:England
Extract #1 dialect features: Discourse Marker, Grammar, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling
As to the floor, I expected every step I took it would fall in with my weight.
"You need not be afraid, Sir," said a pretty, rosy-cheeked maiden, in a neat mob-cap tied close under a dimpled chin. " To be sure , one may see through them in some places, quite to the kitchen below; but they bore a dozen people here yesterday, who came to the feast; and I don't think you be heavier than all they. We've two rooms rather larger than this, but they're in occupied."
"And by whom, pretty lass?"
"I don't know their names; there's two ladies and a gentleman, and they've sent for a po-shay to take 'em away tomorrow morning."
(Vol. 2,p. 48)"You need not be afraid, Sir," said a pretty, rosy-cheeked maiden, in a neat mob-cap tied close under a dimpled chin. " To be sure , one may see through them in some places, quite to the kitchen below; but they bore a dozen people here yesterday, who came to the feast; and I don't think you be heavier than all they. We've two rooms rather larger than this, but they're in occupied."
"And by whom, pretty lass?"
"I don't know their names; there's two ladies and a gentleman, and they've sent for a po-shay to take 'em away tomorrow morning."