Bastards and Foundlings: Illegitimacy in Eighteenth-Century England (Ohio State UP, 2005; revised paperback 2017) (original) (raw)

This work explores the complex cultural narratives surrounding illegitimacy in eighteenth-century England, contrasting official legal perspectives with lived experiences. It examines institutions like the London Foundling Hospital and various literary representations of foundlings, highlighting a rich tapestry of attitudes towards bastardy that defies simple definitions. By reframing the period as one of "illegitimacies" rather than a single narrative of bastardy, the study broadens our understanding of familial structures and social attitudes of the time.