Explore the complex politics embedded in the sentimental novel. Markman Ellis challenges the conventional view, revealing how 18th-century sentimental fiction was deeply involved in public controversies concerning race, gender, and the burgeoning morality of commerce. This insightful literary analysis uncovers its engagement with anti-slavery debates and prostitution reform. An indispensable resource for students and scholars in literary studies, British literature, and Romanticism, offering fresh perspectives on cultural history.