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Tuesday 9 February 2016

A few more literary names for your Regency Heroines.

First of all, let me post a link here to the two nerdy history girls, who have shared some advice to would-be novelists of the late 18th century from a newspaper of 1790.  Heyer used a few of them. Whether the article is ironic or meant in good faith, it is an amusing list of names that might be used.

Following on from that:
I wandered almost accidentally onto a page of 17th century and late 16th century plays, including Shakespeare apocrypha [plays attributed to the bard, or partially written by him, or in which he may have had some editorial input].  And so here are the names I found, just for kicks and giggles. Some you may recognise from subsequent literary works.  Many of the earlier plays were revived with the Restoration, and would have been known, through local performances, or through amateur dramatics, so beloved of the Austen family amongst many others.

Andromana         Calista          Cynthia      Iolante        Mirtilla    Philoclea
Arane                  Clara              Eugenia     Leila           Ordelia    Pretiosa
Arethusa             Cleophila      Evadne       Leonella     Pamela    Reginella
Aspatia                Clora             Gynecia      Leonora     Panthea   Violante

And these ones from the Shakespeare Apocrypha

Amandine    Constanta    Emilia              Lucina             Marianna
Artesia         Dionyza       Estrild             Lychorida         Modestia
Blanche       Dorothy       Guendoline      Marina             Thaisa


I just came across another book, 'Philaro and Elenora, or, The Orphan Twins' printed for a J Barker, 1792.  Which is all I can find about it, but I presume it's the usual thing of orphans rising high eventually after trials and tribulations.  I assume Philaro is male