The Libertine is an 1807 English novel by Charlotte Dacre, written under the pseudonym Rosa Matilda.

The Libertine was highly criticized after its publication due to the excess of language, improbable plot and supposedly immoral message.

Montmorency and his daughter Gabrielle live isolated in the Swiss mountains, away from corrupted society.

They live in peace until the Count Angelo D’Abini arrives, requesting shelter.

Attracted to her display of innocence, Angelo pursues Gabrielle and asks her to run away with him, which she refuses.

Angelo leaves but promises he will stay in touch, gifting a gold medallion.

Blaming himself for exposing Gabrielle to corruption, he is stricken by a melancholic madness and dies.

Gabrielle has a girl, Angus, but is continually melancholic, wishing to punish herself for sinning.

Six months later, feeling that protection for her daughter can only be provided by a father, Gabrielle leaves in search of Angelo.

Oriana grows in fondness to ‘Eugene’ who acts a go-between delivering letters and flowers.

During a visit, Gabrielle overhears a conversation between Oriana and her ‘brother’ Fiorenza de Vinci, who is actually her lover, who plot to kill Angelo and steal his wealth.

Oriana feels humiliated after discovering Eugene's identity and is filled with vengeance.

One day Angelo runs into a distressed young woman, Paulina whose father is forcing her to marry an abusive man.

Trusting Angelo, Gabrielle claims she had no reason to suspect anything, but runs into Oriana and becomes more suspicious.

Gabrielle, proudly refused Angelo's money, wishing to perish and suffer for her sins.

Millborough was hired as a nanny to watch over Felix but stayed with the family as he grew older.

Felix misses Millborough and resents his mother, which impacts on Gabrielle's physical and mental health.

He receives a letter to say that Angus is in deep melancholy, he is thankful she will die an angel.

He wanted to escape and protect his daughter from the corruption of society and so moved to the isolated mountains in Switzerland.

Count Angelo D’Abini – An Italian libertine who is unable to commit to any woman throughout the novel.

Fiorenza de Vinci - Oriana's brother disguised as her lover with a hatred for Angelo.

Julia Falkenheim — Darlowitz betrothed The Libertine, similarly to Dacre's previous work Zofloya did not receive much scholarly attention but was criticised highly in contemporary reviews.

The 1807 Annual Review and History of Literature said: 'Certainly if in the delineation of libertinism, Miss Dacre has not exaggerated and overcharged her picture, by unnatural representations, she has injured it by improbable ones.

[3] They were surprised that such immoral creativity was 'from the pen of a lady' [4] given its content and, despite Dacre's comments on the necessity of marriage, were equally concerned with the reverse moral impact it would have on its readers.

'The libertine trash of a Rosa Matilda, or the illusive sophistry of the work before us, may do more mischief in one hour, than all the amiable sentiments of a Moore, a Bennet, or a Burney, can eradicate in years'[5] Dacre's reputation continued to fall after this publication, her discourse, narrative and plot line received only as 'absurd'; 'Of Rosa Matilda I have but a few words to say.

How absurd, how ludicrous, how contemptible are sentiments of morality and religion from the pen of such a weak enthusiast!

- But I have not patience to remain a minute offer in her company, and I am sure the reader will gladly bid adieu to this "chartered LIBERTINE.

"[6] With Zofloya now receiving more modern critical reception, Charlotte Dacre as an author is now appearing in more recent works, such as The Exotic Women in Nineteenth Century Fiction and Culture[7] and the Cambridge companion to Fiction in the Romantic Period[8] Online text of The Libertine Volumes 1-2 https://books.google.com/books?id=Fb1LAAAAYAAJ Volumes 3-4 https://books.google.com/books?id=Sr1LAAAAYAAJ