Elizabeth Gunning

Miss Gunning. Lord Fitzhenry: a Novel. 3 vols.

London: J. Bell, 1794.

 

Synopsis of Lord Fitzhenry

Lord Fitzhenry is the story of a young English aristocrat. The son of the Earl and Countess of Uxington, Fitzhenry is still working on his extended education when the novel begins. He had decided to study on the continent, but first his family is going to take a holiday in Wales. This pleases Fitzhenry a great deal because his best friend Frederic Wardour is from an estate very near his parents' Welsh lodging. Surprisingly, though, Wardour declines to accompany them. Apparently, the young Wardour has been promised to a local young woman. Wardour is extremely distressed about this because he thinks of her more as a sister. Fitzhenry's curiosity is peaked by the situation and asks to receive a letter of introduction for Wardour's parents with the ulterior motive of seeing the intended, Miss Melmoth.

This, of course, turns out poorly for Fitzhenry. Within moments of meeting Miss Melmoth, he is overcome by her beauty and charm. This young lady lives nearby with her aunt Mrs. Melmoth and for the next few weeks, Fitzhenry enjoys the company of Lord and Lady Wardour and the Melmoths. When it is time to return to his parents, though, Fitzhenry can think of nothing but his lovely new acquaintance. This is especially painful for him because he knows she is betrothed to his friend and he privately vowed to treat her as the wife of Wardour.

Upon returning to Mount Clear, his parents' estate in Wales, he meets Miss Clarinda Owens. Her mother, the widow Lady Owens, accompanies Miss Owens. Miss Owens is the heiress to a sum exceeding 200,000 pounds. Unfortunately, though, she is new money and not very skilled in social graces. Her mother is especially unpleasant and becomes a source of entertainment to the other members of her social circle. Because of their tenuous hold on their station, Lady Owens greatly desires to marry her daughter to Fitzhenry. He will become the Earl of Uxington upon his father's death, which would then make Clarinda nobility. Fitzhenry rebukes her attempts at charm, however, and sends off a lengthy letter to his friend Wardour.

In this letter, Fitzhenry showers Miss Melmoth with praise. It seems incredible to him that his distant friend could find her unattractive. The only thing Fitzhenry finds disconcerting about her is her religion. Miss Melmoth's Catholicism troubles the Protestant Fitzhenrys. The Earl of Uxington's only sister, Isabella, married a Catholic when she was young. He had been a friend of her brother and charmed her into ignoring the question of religion. Their courtship was wonderful, but after the wedding, her new husband, Lord Hillford, began to scheme to convert her. In their home they also kept her Aunt Pemberton and a Protestant Chaplain Dr. Burnett. Their job was to make Isabella happy and keep her from converting. Hillford got to Pemberton, however, and soon Burnett was cast out of the house. Isabella refused to convert and soon became miserable. Soon, she had a child. The child was taken from her, though, in an attempt to get her to convert. She resisted still, and Hillford secretly moved the family to Naples. Lord Fitzhenry vowed that his children would never marry a Catholic.

When young Fitzhenry finally got around to his trip to the continent, Dr. Burnett's nephew Mr. Courtenay accompanied him. While in France, the two learn they are near the house of the Hillfords. Fitzhenry desperately wants to meet his aunt, so they arrange a visit. While there, Fitzhenry gains the affections of his Aunt and Uncle. Lord Hillford secretly tells him that Miss Melmoth is not who she appears to be. He does not disclose the whole truth, but Fitzhenry learns that her real name is Lady Olivia. Fitzhenry then decides to return to Uxington because of his newly renewed longing for Miss Melmoth/Lady Olivia.

Upon his return, however, Fitzhenry dwells on the situation and realizes that Lady Olivia is really Hillford's long lost daughter. This means that she does not have to marry Catholic because she is really from a Protestant family. Fitzhenry is overjoyed by this and asks for her hand in marriage. Also, Wardour's love for Fitzhenry's sister Elizabeth is revealed. This explains why he had never been attracted to the lovely Miss Melmoth. More good fortune comes when Courtenay, Fitzhenry's travel partner, falls for the other sister, Jemima, and they have a triple wedding. So, in the end, everyone finds true love and Lord Fitzhenry gets to know that his niece will live in a Protestant family, even though it is his own.

- Prepared By Morgan Smith, University of Nebraska, December 2002