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High Society in Regency England
The Regency period was one of the most turbulent ages in British history, one that spanned the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, that witnessed unprecedented industrial progress, artistic accomplishment, and violent social unrest and--paradoxically--the most sparkling social scene English high society has ever enjoyed. Under the influence of the obese, loose-moraled Prince of Wales (to whom Jane Austen dedicated Emma), the Regency was the apex of British decadence that set a standard for elegance and vulgarity. With wit and lively style, Venetia Murray chronicles the scandals, courtships, and daily life of these aristocrats. Sumptuously illustrated with rare contemporary cartoons, prints, diaries, and caricatures.
Table of Contents.
1. An Impolite Society.
2. Bucks, Beaux and 'Pinks of the Ton'.
3. 'The Seventh Heaven of the Fashionable World'.
4. Relative Values: The Cost of Living.
5. London: The Most Prosperous City in Europe.
6. From the Seaside Resorts to the Northern Meeting.
7. 'A Mistress Had a Better Deal Than a Wife'.
8. Clubs and Taverns: Gambling and Gluttony.
9. The Age of Indulgence.
10. The Pursuit of Pleasure.
11. Charades and Epigrams: The Country House.
12. Fashion, Manners and Mores:The New Liberalism
13. On the Eve of Reform.
Also contains Selected Bibliography, Notes and Index.
Venetia Murray, 2000. Paperback, 352 pages. Illustrations. ISBN: 9780140282962 |
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