"A New-England Tale; or, Sketches of New England Characters and Manners"

“A New-England Tale; or, Sketches of New England Character and Manners”

by Catharine Maria Sedgwick

     Published in 1822, it is the earliest known American novel to make a financial profit for the woman novelist.  The author enjoyed popularity here and in Europe.  The first printing sold out in less than 4 months, and the third printing was “exhausted” in another 2 months, in her brother’s admiring language. The brothers encouraged her writing and were very proud of her success. 

      Jane Elton, the young girl hero, becomes an orphan at 12 years old when her parents die in an accident and she is left to the mercy of three of the Calvinist sisters of her uncle.  They have ready-made excuses for having no time or money to be responsible for their niece.  One suggests she be put in the city’s listing of orphans for anyone who wants slave labor until she becomes 18.  Another is wrapped up in the plight of American Indians, and the third is involved with foreign missionary work.  Mrs. Wilson has two daughters about Jane’s age and is deemed the sister best to take responsibility for Jane.  Her own children have rebelled from her religious beliefs, but they also try to make life miserable for Jane when opportunity presents itself, as when the cousin steals money from his mother and Jane could be the guilty one.  Jane always tells the truth; she is innocent. 

     She is befriended by a Quaker schoolteacher, gets out of the Wilson house and becomes a teacher at the school.  She also becomes engaged to an up-and-coming, silver-tongued lawyer, who promises wealth and social standing.   His only mistake was to announce that as his wife, she would have absolutely no opinions not agreeing with his, and she must hate all Quakers and break off any friendships with them.

     Catharine Sedgwick, born in 1789, lived in Stockbridge, Massachusetts and some of the residents recognized characters in her books.  Still she did not replace any of those characters.  Her family was greatly admired and she was known for her devotion to siblings and the many nieces and nephews.  She was a Federalist, threw off Calvinist ideas, and became a Unitarian (with some of her brothers).  Far from being an early women’s rights advocate, she uses themes of abolition of slavery, religious freedom and need for prison reform as salient themes in her novels. After a long life she died in 1867, greatly be loved.

     Readers may wish to read more of the facts of her long life in “Daughters of the Puritans”, by Seth Beach, 1905, “Three Wise Virgins” by Gladys Brooks, 1957, “Notable  American Women,” 1974 Vol. III, pp.256-258.