Philip Hensher

The Berkeley scandal of 1681 transfixed London society – and Aphra Behn soon capitalised on it

In The Love Letters Between a Nobleman and his Sister, often called the ‘first English novel’, Behn successfully milked the affair for all it was worth

Portrait of Aphra Behn by Peter Lely, c.1670. [Getty Images]
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  • The Scandal of the Century: Aphra Behn, a Rebellious Daughter and the Astonishing Story of England’s First Novel

    Lisa Hilton

    Michael Joseph, pp. 352, £22

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