From the Critical Review or, Annals of Literature (London: A. Hamilton, 1763), vol. 16, pp. 41–5.

This history, like those of Grandison, &c. is carried on in a series of letters, each of which, without any introduction, sufficiently points out its author. Lady Julia, one of the most amiable young creatures that ever nature formed, is the daughter of the earl of Belmont, and heiress to 16,000l. a year. She lives at her father's noble seat in the country, under the eye of her parents, the most worthy couple in England, and is sometimes visited by a young gentleman, a relation of her own, one Mr. Mandeville, who has all the accomplishments both external and internal that nature and education can give him, but his father is still alive, and his fortune just sufficient to support him as a gentleman. […]

Such, or something like it, is the outline of this performance; but whatever opinion the reader may have of the design, he will find it an original in point of execution, especially colouring. Several episodes, tending to promote the main subjects, are introduced with great judgment. The character of Lord T. a man of sense and experience, but swayed by interest, and the fashion of despising obscure merit, is drawn with exquisite judgment. We cannot, however, on the whole, help thinking, that that of Lady Anne Wilmot is by far the greatest ornament of the work, and is supported in her letters with a spirit and propriety that is not excelled, if equalled, by any author in this species of writing. […]

If we were disposed to find fault with this agreeable performance it would be for the author's introducing politics at all; though we cannot disown it is done with great propriety, and her wheeling us too much about in easy chair, on the carpet of description.