> as lemmas

1662 Duchess of Newcastle Wits Cabal i. i. vii, in Playes Written 253 We may as soon finde an Heroick Lover, and see all his impossible Actions out of a Romance Book, as a good Husbands.

1793 M. Pilkington Rosina III. 41 Though these poetry books are foolish enough, they are not half so bad as your romance books, like Pamela there.

1820 T. Mitchell in tr. Aristophanes Comedies I. p. lxxxv The romance-novel..was a species of literary guilt, left for the invention of our own days.

1888 J. I. Mombert Hist. Charles Great ii. viii. 240 Their reduction to writing was probably the beginning of the heroic and romance literature of a later age.

1936 Syracuse (N.Y.) Herald 24 Mar. 11/4 The romance department has it that John Barrymore and Elaine Barrie really are serious again.

1961 Times Lit. Suppl. 8 Dec. 2/1 The growing success of the romance-thriller, where the basic plot of virgin-marries-older-man is sharpened..by often well-devised and dramatic villainy.

2009 Sydney Morning Herald (Nexis) 23 Feb. (Guide) 4 The prodigal son finds himself increasingly embroiled in..a romance subplot with an old flame.