ABSTRACT
When Frances Burney’s heroine Cecilia arrives in London, one of the first things she is asked to do is attend the liquidation sale of Lord and Lady Belgrade’s estate. The couple has spent well past their means and the demands of creditors have forced the sale of all their possessions. While Cecilia is shocked by this event, her ‘citified’ female friends view it as commonplace and a chance to find a bargain: ‘I am come,’ cried she eagerly, ‘to run away with you to my Lord Belgrade’s sale. All the world will be there; and we shall go in with tickets and you have no notion how it will be crowded.’ ‘What is to be sold there?’ said Cecilia. ‘O every thing you can conceive; house, stables, china, laces, horses, caps, every thing in the world.’ ‘And do you intend to buy anything?’ ‘Lord no; but one likes to see other people’s things.’ Cecilia then begged they would excuse her attendance. ‘O by no means,’ cried Miss Larolles, ‘you must go, I assure you; there’ll be such a monstrous crowd as you never saw in your life. I dare say we shall be half squeezed to death.’ 1
