A Description of Millenium Hall (ePub)

Sarah Scott (1723-1795) was an English novelist, translator, and social reformer, whose literary contributions emerge from the fervent era of eighteenth-century fiction. Best known for her work 'A Description of Millenium Hall' (1762), Scott presented a utopian vision of a female-led society which advocated for women's education and their roles as moral reformers. This epistolary novel, through its vivid depiction of a self-sufficient community run by women, subtly jabs at the patriarchal constraints of her time and underscores Scott's proto-feminist ideals. Her other notable works include 'The History of Cornelia' (1750) and 'The History of Sir George Ellison' (1766), aligning with the didactic and moralistic literature of the period, often exploring themes of benevolence, virtue, and propriety. Scott's writings reflect her dedication to the promotion of female camaraderie and intellectual engagement, drawing on her experiences within her circle of intellectual elites, which included her sister Elizabeth Montagu. Despite her lesser recognition in the literary canon, Scott's narrative craft and ideological contributions make her an intriguing figure deserving of scholarly attention in discussions on the development of the novel and the evolution of feminist thought within literature.