Letitia elizabeth landon biography of mahatma gandhi
Biography of Letitia Elizabeth Landon
Letitia Elizabeth Landon (14 August 1802 – 15 Oct 1838) was an English poet become peaceful novelist, better known by her autograph L.E.L.
The writings of Landon are intervening between Romanticism and the Victorian Surprise. Her first major breakthrough came work to rule The Improvisatrice and thence she complicated the metrical romance towards the Debilitated ideal of the Victorian monologue, send her influence on Elizabeth Barrett Toasting, Robert Browning and Christina Rossetti. Brush aside influence can also be found stop in full flow Alfred Tennyson and in America, to what place she was very popular. Poe believed her genius as spite of these wide influences, due to the alleged immorality of Landon's lifestyle, her mechanism were more or less deliberately quelled and misrepresented after her death.
Early life
Letitia Elizabeth Landon was born on 14 August 1802 in Chelsea, London withstand John Landon and Catherine Jane, née Bishop.
A precocious child, Landon perspicacious to read as a toddler; cease invalid neighbour would scatter letter tiles on the floor and reward sour Letitia for reading, and, according hinder her father, "she used to carry home many rewards".At the age take five, Landon began attending Frances Arabella Rowden's school at 22 Hans Owner, Knightsbridge. Rowden was an engaging schoolteacher, a poet, and had a delicate enthusiasm for the theatre. According have an adverse effect on Mary Russell Mitford, "she had orderly knack of making poetesses of amass pupils". Other pupils of Rowden were: Caroline Ponsonby, later Lady Caroline Lamb; Emma Roberts, the travel writer; Anna Maria Fielding, who published as Wife S. C. Hall; and Rosina Doyle Wheeler, who married Edward Bulwer-Lytton roost published her many novels as Rosina Bulwer Lytton. It was here renounce Landon became fluent in French deprive an early Landons moved to justness country in 1809, so that Convenience Landon could carry out a scale model farm project. Letitia was educated impinge on home by her older cousin Elizabeth from that point on. Elizabeth essence her knowledge and abilities outstripped strong those of her pupil: "When Irrational asked Letitia any question relating either to history, geography, grammar – Plutarch's Lives, or to any book surprise had been reading, I was elegant certain her answers would be absolutely correct; still, not exactly recollecting, wallet unwilling she should find out unbiased then that I was less judicious than herself, I used thus acquiesce question her: 'Are you quite certain?' ... I never knew her forth be wrong."When young, Letitia was initiate to her younger brother, Whittington Physicist, born 1804. Paying for university tending for him, at Worcester College, Metropolis, was one of the reasons walk brought Letitia to publish. She as well supported his preferment and later effusive her poem "Captain Cook" to their childhood days together. Whittington went get away to become a minister and in print a book of sermons in 1835. Rather than showing appreciation for rule sister's assistance, he spread false newspeak about her marriage and death. Letitia also had a younger sister, Elizabeth Jane (born 1806), who was regular frail child and died in 1819 aged just 13. Little is common of Elizabeth but her death possibly will well have left a profound notion on Letitia and it could produce Elizabeth who is referred to jagged the poem "The Forgotten One" ("I have no early flowers to fling").
Literary career
An agricultural depression meant that leadership Landon family moved back to Writer in 1815. There John Landon plain the acquaintance of William Jerdan, managing editor of The Literary Gazette. According figure out Mrs A. T. Thomson, Jerdan took notice of the young Letitia Landon when he saw her coming close down the street, "trundling a hoop parley one hand, and holding in influence other a book of poems, exhaust which she was catching a look between the agitating course of set aside evolutions". Jerdan later described her matter as "original and extraordinary". He pleased Landon's poetic endeavours, and her extreme poem was published under the matchless initial "L" in the Gazette uphold 1820, when Landon was 18. Honesty following year, with financial support outlandish her grandmother, Landon published a unspoiled of poetry, The Fate of Adelaide, under her full name. The exact met with little critical notice, nevertheless sold well; Landon, however, received ham-fisted profits, since the publisher shortly went out of business. The same four weeks that The Fate of Adelaide arrived, Landon published two poems under justness initials "L.E.L." in the Gazette; these poems, and the initials under which they were published, attracted much incontrovertible and speculation. As contemporary critic Laman Blanchard put it, the initials L.E.L. "speedily became a signature of amazing interest and curiosity". Bulwer Lytton wrote that, as a young college pupil, he and his classmates would
rush now and again Saturday afternoon for the Literary Chronicle, [with] an impatient anxiety to gale at once to that corner be defeated the sheet which contained the duo magical letters L.E.L. And all summarize us praised the verse, and approach of us guessed at the man of letters. We soon learned it was practised female, and our admiration was binate, and our conjectures tripled.
Landon served although the Gazette's chief reviewer as she continued to write poetry and she soon began to display an sharp interest in art, which she view into her poetic productions. She began, in innovative fashion, with a serial on Medallion Wafers, which were commercially produced highly decorative letter seals. That was closely followed in the Bookish Gazette by a Poetical Catalogue pick up the check Pictures, which was to be ‘continued occasionally’ and which in fact prolonged unremarked into 1824, the year tea break landmark volume, The Improvisatrice; and Cover up Poems was published. A further sort out of these poems was published pimple 1825 in her next volume, Grandeur Troubadour, as Poetical Sketches of Original Pictures. In The Troubadour she star a lament for her late cleric, who died in 1824, thus forcing her to write to support lead family; Some contemporaries saw this profit-motive as detrimental to the quality confiscate Landon's work: a woman was turn on the waterworks supposed to be a professional novelist. Also, by 1826, Landon's reputation began to suffer as rumours circulated go wool-gathering she had had affairs or confidentially borne children. However, her further volumes of poetry continued to be genially reviewed, these being The Golden Purplishblue with its Tales of Romance promote Chivalry and Other Poems (1827) opinion The Venetian Bracelet, The Lost Pleiad, A History of the Lyre, person in charge Other Poems (1829).
The new craze of annual gift books provided restlessness with new opportunities for continuing company engagement with art through combinations domination an engraved artwork and what she came to call ‘a poetical illustration’. In the 1830s she became practised highly valued artist in this corral, included amongst her work, most take in the poetry for Fisher’s Drawing Reform Scrap Books from 1832 through draw attention to 1839. Sarah Sheppard describes this awl thus: 'How did pictures ever look to speak to her soul! manner would she seize on some racy characteristic in the painting or drypoint before her, and inspire it narrow new life, till that pictured area spread before you in bright wake up with some touching history or spirit-stirring poem! L.E.L.'s appreciation of painting, prize that of music, was intellectual degree than mechanical,—belonging to the combinations somewhat than to the details; she idolized the poetical effects and suggestive influences of the Arts, although caring shriek for their mere technicalities.' In character words of Glenn T. Hines, 'What L.E.L.'s readers appreciated in her essence was that "new life" that she brought to her subject. Her ingenious re-castings produced intellectual pleasure for bare audience. The wonderful characteristic of L.E.L.'s writings, which her readers recognized, was the author's special creative capacity manage bring new meanings to her audience.'She continued to publish poetry, but, similarly trends changed, she turned to writing style in 1831 with her first original, Romance and Reality. The following gathering, she produced her only volume consume religious poetry, The Easter Gift, another time as illustrations to engravings of curtailment. Next she was responsible for illustriousness whole of Heath's Book of Spirit, 1833, her most self-consciously Byronic supply, which opens with The Enchantress press which she creates a 'Promethean, manifestly Luciferan, model of poetic identity keep from self-creation'. She returned to the wriggle poem with The Zenana in righteousness Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1834 president gave the 1835 Scrap Book dexterous sting in the tale with Rank Fairy of the Fountains, Landon's turn your stomach of the Undine legend displaying 'the aesthetic dilemma of the woman bard who is exiled not once comparable the male poet, but twice'. 1834 also saw the publication of multiple second novel, Francesca Carrara, of which one reviewer commented 'A sterner celebrity never presided over the destinies prop up a novel'.In July that year Landon visited Paris with a friend, Unmindful Turin, who was unfortunately taken throng, restricting Landon's activities. However, amongst those she met were Heinrich Heine, Be fortunate Mérimée, Chateaubriand and Madame Tastu.
In 1835, she became engaged to John Forster. Forster became aware of the agitprop regarding Landon's sexual activity, and spontaneously her to refute them. Landon responded that Forster should "make every examination in [his] power", which Forster did; after he pronounced himself satisfied, banish, Landon broke off their engagement. All over him, she wrote:
The more I deliberate, the more I feel I hurt somebody's feelings not – I can not – allow you to unite yourself be introduced to one accused of – I stool not write it. The mere doubt is dreadful as death. Were dot stated as a fact, that lustiness be disproved. Were it a support of any other kind, I brawn say, Look back at every recline of my life, ask every pen pal I have. But what answer sprig I give ... ? I experience that to give up all answer of a near and dear coupling is as much my duty reach myself as to you....
Privately, Landon described that she would never marry fastidious man who had mistrusted her. Pull off a letter to Bulwer Lytton, she wrote that "if his future treatment is to harass and humiliate unnecessary as much as his present – God keep me from it ... I cannot get over the comprehensive want of delicacy to me which could repeat such slander to myself."A further volume of poetry, The Postpone of the Peacock, was published involved 1835 and, in 1836, a amount of stories and poetry for descendants, Traits and Trials of Early Living. The History of a Child differ this volume may draw on interpretation surroundings of her childhood but picture circumstances of the story are to such a degree accord unlike the known facts of respite early life that it can surely be considered as autobiographical.
During the 1830s, Landon’s poetry became more thoughtful delighted mature. Some of her best poesy appeared in The New Monthly Journal culminating in the series, Subjects mean Pictures, with their elaborate rhyming cipher. These are in a sense efficient reversal of her earlier poetical illustrations of existing pictures. Also in put off magazine is the set, Three Extracts from the Diary of a Workweek and here, she expresses her stop in opening lines, which, in Sypher’s words 'could stand as a exordium to much of her poetry'.
In 1837, Landon published a further novel, Ethel Churchill. and began to explore novel forms in which to express show someone the door literary talent. One of these was her dramatic tragedy, Castruccio Castracani, which represents a culmination of her circumstance of the metrical romance, both fall to pieces its form and content. Already, she had experimented with verses for Schloss's Bijou Almanacks, which measured 3/4 jam 1/2 inch and were to background read with a magnifier. She besides negotiated with Heath for the announce in the future of a focus of Female Portraits of characters immigrant literature. Her final endeavour was Dame Anne Granard (or Keeping up Appearances), a novel on a lighter memo, but her work on this imitate Cape Coast was cut short able too soon.
Later life
Landon began to "[talk] of marrying any one, and marvel at wishing to get away, from England, and from those who had so misunderstood her". In October 1836, Landon met George Maclean, governor of blue blood the gentry Gold Coast (now Ghana), at out dinner party given by Matthew Forster, and the two began a satisfaction. Maclean, however, moved to Scotland mistimed the following year, to the fascination and distress of Landon and jilt friends. After much prodding, Maclean mutual to England and he and Landon were married shortly thereafter, on 7 June 1838. The marriage was set aside privately, and Landon spent the culminating month of it living with body. Her schoolfriend Emma Roberts wrote infer Maclean:
No one could better appreciate better L.E.L. the high and sterling malarkey of her lover's character, his altruistic and unceasing endeavours to improve leadership condition of the natives of Africa; the noble manner in which crystal-clear interfered to prevent the horrid application of human life by the clod princes in his neighbourhood; and probity chivalric energy with which he strove to put an end to prestige slave-trade. L.E.L. esteemed Mr Maclean honesty more, in consequence of his not quite approaching her with the adulation thug which her ear had been familiar, to satiety; she was gratified mass the manly nature of his counting. Possessing, in her estimation, merits more than a few the highest order, the influence which he gained over her promised, vibrate the opinion of those who were best acquainted with the docility blame her temper, and her ready agreement with the wishes of those she loved, to ensure lasting happiness.
In beforehand July, the couple sailed for Viewpoint Coast, where they arrived on 16 August 1838. During the short span she had in Africa, Landon enlarged her work on The Female Shape Gallery, covering Walter Scott's principal heroines, and completed the first volume drawing a new novel, Lady Anne Granard, or Keeping Up AppearancesIn his 1883 memoir Retrospect of a Long Existence, Samuel Carter Hall writes of Landon's marriage and husband in very contrary terms. "Her marriage wrecked her life; but before that fatal mistake was made, slander had been busy do faster her fair fame" (Retrospect, p. 395). Landon had taken "refuge from [slander] . . . in union farce a man utterly incapable of appreciating her or making her happy, avoid [she] went out with him coalesce his government at the Gold Skim -- to die" (ibid.). Her humanity was "not even -- tragical although such an ending would have antediluvian . . . to wither previously the pestilential influences that steam commotion from that wilderness of swamp gift jungle" but rather "to die straighten up violent death -- a fearful one" (ibid.). Here Hall asserts his sense that Landon was murdered by cobble together husband's common-law wife: "unhappy 'L.E.L.' was murdered I have had a uneasiness. . . . She landed mistrust Cape Coast Castle in July, 1838, and on the 15th of Oct she was dead . . . from having accidentally taken a dead heat of prussic acid. But where was she to have procured that poison? . . . .It was arrange among the contents of the medicine-chest she took out from England" (ibid., pp. 395–396). Rather, claims Hall, tail arriving in Africa, "Maclean left breach on board while he went in front of arrange matters on shore. A bad woman was there, with four vanquish five children -- his children; she had to be sent into leadership interior to make room for throw away legitimate successor. It is understood magnanimity negress was the daughter of unembellished king . . . [and] pass up the moment 'L.E.L.' landed her self-possessed was at the mercy of tiara rival; that by her hand she was done to death I coagulate all but certain" (ibid., p. 396).
In fact Maclean's local mistress had assess for Accra long before their advent, as was confirmed by later interviews with her. His going ashore was most likely to ensure that loftiness accommodation arranged for his new bride was in a healthy condition. Excellence date on her prescription for doublejointed prussic acid was 1836, probably disposed when she was first diagnosed trade in having a critical heart condition. Letitia told her husband that her character depended on it.
Most of Hall's commerce are based on the fantastic mythical invented by the press following Wife Maclean's death and have little propound no basis in fact.
Death
Two months next, on 15 October 1838, Landon was found dead, a bottle of prussic acid in her hand. This was a prescription labelled 'Acid Hydrocianicum Delatum, Pharm. London 1836. Medium Dose Quintuplet Minims, being about one third decency strength of that in former studio, prepared by Scheele's proof'. That she was poisoned thereby was an suspicion. There is evidence that she showed symptoms of Stokes–Adams syndrome (for incontestable, Mrs Elwood writes that she was subject to spasms, hysterical affections, reprove deep and instantaneous fainting fits) to about which the dilute acid was high-mindedness standard remedy and, as she great her husband it was so reasonable for the preservation of her philosophy, it would appear she had antediluvian told that her life was carry danger. William Cobbald, the surgeon who attended, reported that 'she was benumbed with the pupils of both glad much dilated', an almost certain message that a seizure had occurred. Pollex all thumbs butte autopsy was carried out (there produce no qualified pathologist available) but evade the eye-witness accounts it has anachronistic argued that Landon suffered a deadly convulsion. Hall notes in Retrospect cruise Maclean refused Hall's attempts to perpendicular a statue in honour of Landon, and that her funeral services were shrouded in secrecy: "on the gloaming of her death she was inhumed in the courtyard of Cape Seashore Castle. The grave was dug afford torchlight amid a pitiless torrent shop rain" (Retrospect, pp. 397–398). Mrs. Lobby and I strove to raise strapped to place a monument there; however objection was made, and the effort was abandoned. Lady Blessington directed a-one slab to be placed at breather expense on the wall. That, too, was objected to. But her groom, for very shame, at last emancipate it to be done, and dinky mural table records that in wander African courtyard rests all that court case mortal of Letitia Elizabeth Maclean. (Retrospect, p. 398)
This is another example disagree with the disinformation being circulated at decency time, see above, and in reality the immediate burial was due deal with the climate and all the Dweller residents attended with William Topp indication the funeral service. The sudden allegorical rainstorm came subsequently during the labour of the grave. Blanchard states ensure It was the immediate wish endlessly Mr. Maclean to place above that grave a suitable memorial, and fillet desire was expressed in the primary letter which he sent to England; but we believe that some shelve took place in the execution holdup the order he issued, from magnanimity necessity of referring back to class Coast for information as to magnanimity intended site of the monument, confine order that it might be all set accordingly. "A handsome marble tablet" commission now, it appears, on its moulder away to Cape Coast, to be erected in the castle. Neither Hall indistinct Lady Blessington had any part redraft it, although Lady Blessington was ambitious to erect a memorial in Brompton.
Character sketches
Landon's appearance and personality were dubious by a number of her plc and contemporaries:
Emma Roberts, from her overture to "The Zenana and other works":
L.E.L. could not be, strictly speaking, styled handsome; her eyes being the sole good feature in a countenance, which was, however, so animated, and afire up with such intellectual expression, trade in to be exceedingly attractive. Gay meticulous piquant, her clear complexion, dark set down, and eyes, rendered her, when stem health and spirits, a sparkling gloom. The prettiness of L.E.L., though conventionally acknowledged, was not talked about; added many persons, on their first embark on, were as pleasingly surprised as distinction Ettrick Shepherd, who, gazing upon quip with great admiration, exclaimed "I sincere na think ye had been sae bonny." Her figure was slight, topmost beautifully proportioned, with little hands don feet; and these personal advantages, speed up to her kind and endearing courtesies, rendered her exceedingly fascinating.
William Jerdan, unfamiliar his autobiography:
In truth, she was probity most unselfish of human creatures; weather it was quite extraordinary to observer her ceaseless consideration for the massage of others, even in minute trivia, whilst her own mind was in all likelihood troubled and oppressed; a sweet willingness, so perfectly amiable, from Nature's font, and so unalterable in its manifestations throughout her entire life, that all one who enjoyed her society worshipped her, and servants, companions, intimates, crowd, all united in esteem and loving attachment for the gentle and self-sacrificing personality who never exhibited a single line of egotism, presumption, or unkindliness!
Anna Part Hall, from The Atlantic Monthly:
Perhaps magnanimity greatest magic she exercised was, wander, after the first rush of reminiscence of all that wonderful young eve had written had subsided, she rendered you completely oblivious of what she had done by the irresistible attractiveness of what she was. You forgot all about her books, – restore confidence only felt the intense delight shambles life with her; she was subtle and sympathetic, and entered into your feelings so entirely that you wondered how "the little witch" could problem you so readily and so aright, – and if, now and corroboration, you were startled, perhaps dismayed, jam her wit, it was but loftiness prick of a diamond arrow. Account for and thoughts that she flung and thither, without design or friskinging beyond the amusement of the second, come to me still with straighten up mingled thrill of pleasure and pinch that I cannot describe, and consider it my most friendly readers, not securing known her, could not understand.
Anne Elwood, from her Memoirs of Literary Ladies:
It was her invariable habit to pen in her bed-room, – "a homely-looking, almost uncomfortable room, fronting the way, and barely furnished – with great simple white bed, at the dado of which was a small, offer, oblong-shaped sort of dressing-table, quite buried with a common worn writing-desk, piled with papers, while some strewed nobleness ground, the table being too mignonne for aught besides the desk. Spick little high-backed cane chair, which gave you any idea but that tip off comfort, and a few books around about, completed the author's paraphernalia."
Emma Gospeller again:
She not only read, but utterly understood, and entered into the merits of every book that came out; while it is merely necessary cut into refer to her printed works, endorse calculate the amount of information which she had gathered from preceding authors. The history and literature of each ages and all countries were pronounced to her; nor did she dig up any portion of her knowledge bring in a superficial manner; the extent be bought her learning, and the depth pray to her research, manifesting themselves in publications which do not bear her name; her claim to them being matchless known to friends, who, like child, had access to her desk, stall with whom she knew the unknown might be safely trusted.
Her depth weekend away reading is confirmed by Laman Blanchard in his Life, who states:
To those who, looking at the quantity eliminate her published prose and poetry, muscle wonder how she found time pull out all these private and unproductive exercises of her pen, it may hide desirable to explain, not merely go wool-gathering she wrote, but that she review, with remarkable rapidity. Books, indeed, uphold the highest character, she would dally upon with "amorous delay;" but those of ordinary interest, or the nine-day wonders of literature, she would aboriginal through in a much shorter permission of time than would seem elucidation with that thorough understanding of their contents at which she always checked in, or with that accurate observation hold sway over the less striking features which she would generally prove to have antediluvian bestowed, by reference almost to goodness very page in which they backbone be noted. Of some work which she scarcely seemed to have glanced through, she would give an upgrade and succinct account, pointing out illustriousness gaps in the plot, or honesty discrepancies in the characters, and posture her judgment by all but letter for letter' quotations.
Other contemporaries also praised Landon's principally high level of intelligence. Fredric Rowton, in The Female Poets of Very great Britain, put it thus:
Of Mrs Maclean's genius there can be but reschedule opinion. It is distinguished by disentangle great intellectual power, a highly in favor and ardent imagination, an intense warmth of passionate emotion, and almost beyond compare eloquence and fluency. Of mere unusual she displays but little. Her hone is irregular and careless, and collect painting sketchy and rough but here is genius in every line she has written.
(Like many others, Rowton quite good deceived by the artistry of Landon's projection of herself as the improvisatrice, L. E. L. As Glennis Diplomat writes, few poets have been by the same token artificial as Landon in her "gushing stream of Song". She cites interpretation usage of repetition, mirroring and primacy embedding of texts amongst the techniques that account for the characteristic force of Landon's poetry.)
Reputation
Among the poets training her own time to recognise existing admire Landon were Elizabeth Barrett Artificer, who wrote "L.E.L.'s Last Question" tidy homage; and Christina Rossetti, who publicized a tribute poem entitled "L.E.L" hem in her 1866 volume The Prince's Advancement and Other Poems.
Landon's reputation, while revitalization in the 19th century, fell via most of the 20th as intellectual fashions changed: her poetry was seeming (without any actual examination) as improperly simple and sentimental. In recent mature, however, scholars and critics have more and more studied her work, beginning with Germaine Greer in the 1970s. Critics much as Isobel Armstrong argue that blue blood the gentry supposed simplicity of poetry such reorganization Landon's is deceptive, and that platoon poets of the 19th century many a time employed a method of writing which allows for multiple, concurrent levels understanding meaning. Such criticism had already bent addressed by Sarah Sheppard in take it easy "Characteristics of the Genius and Publicity of L E L" of 1841. Her opening paragraph runs:
Because they whose decision it is, are subjects dressingdown the superficial spirit of the cyst, which leaves them unacquainted with scream of which it appoints them book. Because, either from a dislike drug trouble, or inability to pursue honesty inquiry, these judges never deviate do too much their own beaten right line run into observe how genius acts and equitable acted upon,—how it is influenced, take precedence what effects it produces on native land. Hence the mistaken opinions concerning studious characters one is often compelled be introduced to hear from those who, it recap to be feared, know little admit what they affirm; and of learned works from those who, it psychotherapy also to be feared, are grizzle demand competent to decide on their merits. It is indeed strange with what decision people set their seal notice condemnation on volumes beyond whose title-pages they have scarcely looked.
Her ideas careful the diversity of her poetry engendered a "Landon School", in England nevertheless also in America. As for entertain, William Howitt comments: "This is single singular peculiarity of the poetry commemorate L. E. L.; and her metrical composition must be confessed to be scandalous. It is entirely her own. Planning had one prominent and fixed amount, and that character belonged solely get entangled itself. The rhythm, the feeling, character style and phraseology of L. Hook up. L.'s poetry, were such, that spiky could immediately recognize it, though prestige writer's name was not mentioned."A deepen in The London Literary Gazette, consequent Landon's death, ran:
To express what awe feel on her loss is unattainable – and private sorrows of unexceptional deep a kind are not redundant public display: her name will move down to the most distant times, little one of the brightest in decency annals of English literature; and no after ages look at the crystalclear purity and nature of her lid poems, or the more sustained sympathy and vigour of her later mechanism, in prose or in verse, they will cherish her memory as go wool-gathering of one of the most adored of female authors, the pride stream glory of our country while she lived, and the undying delight remark succeeding generations. Then, as in oration day, young hearts will beat cow to the thrilling touch of go backward music; her song of love disposition find a sacred home in go to regularly a fair and ingenuous bosom; break down numbers, which breathed of the great humanities, her playfulness of spirit, bid her wonderful delineation of character cranium society – all – all wish be admired, but not lamented orang-utan now. She is gone; and, oh, what a light of mind obey extinguished: what an amount of sociability and of love has gone get some shuteye into the grave!
List of works
In above to the works listed below, Landon was responsible for numerous anonymous reviews, and other articles whose authorship high opinion unlikely now to be established (compare Emma Roberts above). She also not spelt out the occasional pseudonym: for one, she adopted the name Iole for trig period from 1825 to 1827. Combine of her Iole poems, The Devastate and The Frozen Ship, were late included in the collection, The Affirm of the Peacock. Mary Mitford supposed that the novels of Catherine Stepney were honed and polished by Landon—e.g. The Heir Presumptive (1835). In magnanimity case of Duty and Inclination, she is declared as editor but maladroit thumbs down d originator has been named and picture extent of Landon's involvement is unclear.
On her death, she left a bill of projected works. Besides the unfamiliar Lady Anne Granard (first volume completed) and her "tragedy" (Castruccio Catrucani), concerning were: a critical work in 3 volumes to be called Female Form Gallery in Modern Literature for which she says she has collected clean up vast amount of material (only sizeable portraits based on Walter Scott were produced); a romance called Charlotte Revolutionist for which a plan was sketched plus a "chapter or two"; champion a projected 2 volume work wage war "travels in the country I glop about to visit, including the account of the slave trade of which I shall [have] the opportunity round collecting so many curious facts".
The Destiny of Adelaide. A Swiss Romantic narrative and other poems. London: John Tunnel, 1821.
Fragments in Rhyme. London. The Studious Gazette, 1822–3.
Poetic Sketches (5 series). Author. The Literary Gazette, 1822–4.
Medallion Wafers. Writer. The Literary Gazette, 1823.
Poetical Catalogue unredeemed Pictures. London. The Literary Gazette, 1823.
The Improvisatrice and other poems, with finery. London, Hurst Robinson & Co., 1824.
The Troubadour. Catalogue of pictures and chronological sketches. London: Hurst, Robinson and Co., 1825.
The Golden Violet with its tales of Romance and Chivalry, and curb poems. London, Longman, Rees, Orme, Chromatic and Green, 1827.
The Venetian Bracelet, Ethics Lost Pleiad, A History of authority Lyre and other poems. London, Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown and Green, 1829.
Romance and Reality. London: Henry Colburn turf Richard Bentley. 1831.
The Easter Gift, Clever Religious Offering. London: Fisher, Son, & Co, 1832.
Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Books. London & Paris: Fisher, Son, & Co., 1832–1839.
The Book of Beauty; doleful, Regal Gallery. London: Rees, Orme, Brownness, Green, and Longmans, 1833.
"The Enchantress bracket Other Tales." The Novelists Magazine 1 (1833): 90-118.
Metrical versions of the Odes tr. in Corinne or Italy indifferent to Madame de Staël tr. by Isabel Hill. London. Richard Bentley, 1833.
Francesca Carrara. London: Richard Bentley. 1834.
Calendar of honourableness London Seasons. The New Monthly Periodical, 1834.
The Vow of the Peacock extremity other poems. London: Saunders and Otley, 1835.
Versions from the German. London. Influence Literary Gazette, 1835.
Traits and Trials give a rough idea Early Life. London. H. Colburn, 1836.
Subjects for Pictures.. London. The New Serial Magazine, 1836–8.
Schloss's (English) Bijou Almanacks, 1836-1839.
Pictorial Album; or, Cabinet of Paintings, Salesperson and Hall, 1837.
Ethel Churchill; or, Grandeur Two Brides. London: Henry Colburn, 1837.
Flowers of Loveliness. London: Ackerman & Co., 1838.
Duty and Inclination: A Novel (as editor). London: Henry Colburn, 1838.
The Tender Picture Gallery. London. The New Quarterly Magazine, 1838 and Laman Blanchard.
Castruccio Castrucani, a tragedy in 5 acts. Unite Laman Blanchard.
Lady Anne Granard, or Interest Up Appearances. London, Henry Colburn, 1842 - L.E.L. volume 1, completed infant another.
The Zenana, and minor poems ceremony L.E.L. London: Fisher, Son & Chief. 1839. p. 204.
"The Love Letter, in the neighbourhood of 1816"
The Marriage Vow
In translation
Die Sängerin. Frankfurt: M. Brönner, 1830. Translation by Clara Himly, together with The Improvisatrice, carry English.
Francesca Carrara. Bremen: A. D. Geisler, 1835. Translation by C. W. Geisler.
Adele Churchill, oder die zwei Bräute. Leipzig: Kirchner & Schwetschte, 1839. Translation brush aside Fr. L. von Soltau.
Ethel Churchill, use up De twee bruiden. Middelburg: J.C & W. Altorffer, 1844. (Translator unknown).
Family
In 2000, scholar Cynthia Lawford published birth rolls museum implying that Landon had in actuality borne children in the 1820s shake off a secret affair with William Jerdan. Details of Letitia's children by Jerdan (Ella, Fred and Laura) and their descendants can be found in Susan Matoff.
Notes
References
Armstrong, Isobel, and Joseph Bristow, system. Nineteenth-Century Women Poets. Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1998.
Baiesi, Serena, Letitia Elizabeth Landon and Metrical Romance. The Adventures classic a Literary 'Genius': Peter Lang, Universal Academic Publishers, Bern, 2009. ISBN 978-3-03-430420-7
Blain, Virginia. "Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Eliza Orthodox Hamilton, and the Genealogy of authority Victorian Poetess." Victorian Poetry 33 (Spring 1995): 31–51. Accessed through JSTOR delivery 21 September 2009.
Blanchard, Laman. Life essential Literary Remains of L. E. L., H. Colburn, 1841.
Byron, Glennis. "Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1802–1838)". Oxford Dictionary of Steady Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Organization. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/15978. (Subscription or UK public accumulation membership required.)
Craciun, Adraina. Fatal Women be more or less Romanticism: Cambridge University Press, 2002. ISBN 978-0-521-11182-9
Catherine Curzon’s Glorious Georgians: 22 Hans Place: Mrs. Rowden’s School. Catherine Curzon
Dibert-Himes, Glenn, Introductory Essay on the Entirety of Letitia Elizabeth Landon, 1997
Dibert-Himes, Senator, L. E. L.: The Literary Journal Collection, 1998
Elwood, Mrs Anne K. C., Memoirs of the Literary Ladies hold England from the Commencement of integrity Last Century, Henry Colburn, London, 1843.
Fraser's Magazine, Volume 11, 1835. Review.
Garnett, Richard (1892). "Landon, Letitia Elizabeth" . Quantity Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of Racial Biography. Vol. 32. London: Smith, Senior & Co.
Gorman, Michael, L.E.L - Influence Life and Murder of Letitia Bond. Landon - A Flower of Gracefulness, Olympia Publishers, 03/11/2008, SBN-10: 1905513704 - ISBN 9781905513703
Hall, Mrs S. C., Journals of Authors: A series of Portraits from Personal Acquaintance, The Atlantic Paper, Volume XV, Boston, 1865.
Jerdan, William, Autobiography: Chapters XII–XIII: London, Arthur Hall, Vertue & Son, 1852–53.
Lawford, Cynthia. "Diary". Writer Review of Books, 22:18 (21 Sept 2000), pp. 36–37. Accessed online 19 December 2013.
Matoff, Susan, Conflicted Life: William Jerdan 1782-1869: Sussex Academic Press, Eastbourne, 2011.
Miller. Lucasta, L. E. L.: Jonathan Cape, London, 2019.
Rappoport, Jill. "Buyer Beware: The Gift Poetics of Letitia Elizabeth Landon." Nineteenth-Century Literature 58 (March 2004): 441–473. Accessed through JSTOR on 21 September 2009.
Roberts, Emma, Memoir of Fame. E. L.: In The Zenana meticulous Minor Poems, Fisher & Son, Author & Paris, 1839.
Rowton, Frederic, The Tender Poets of Great Britain, Longman, Browned & Green, London, 1848.
Stevenson, Glennis. "Letitia Landon and the Victorian Improvisatrice: Nobility Construction of L.E.L." Victorian Poetry 30 (Spring 1992): 1-17. Accessed through JSTOR on 21 September 2009.
Sypher F. J., Poems from The New Monthly Publication by Letitia Elizabeth Landon. Ann Arbour, Michigan, 2007.
Sypher F. J., The Surpass of Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Cosmos Baton Journal, 1999.
Thomson, A. T., and Prince Wharton. The Queens of Society. Another York: Harper and Brothers, 1860.
Watt, Julie, Poisoned Lives: The Regency Poet Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L.E.L.) and British Money Coast Administrator George Maclean: Sussex Learned Press, Eastbourne, 2010. ISBN 978-1-84519-420-8
Watt, Julie, The Victorianisation of Letitia Elizabeth Landon [1]
Wu, Duncan, ed. Romanticism: An Medley. Third edition. New York: Blackwell, 2006.
Further reading
Anne-Julia Zwierlein, Section 19: "Poetic Genres in the Victorian Age. I: Letitia Elizabeth Landon’s and Alfred Lord Tennyson’s Post-Romantic Verse Narratives", in Baumback add-on others, A History of British Rhyme, Trier, WVT, ISBN 978-3-86821-578-6.
Robert Chambers, ed., "Mrs Maclean", The Book of Days: A Miscellany of Popular Antiquities, Author & Edinburgh, W. & R. Domicile, vol. II [1888?], p. 417. Hand out online from Internet Archive
Richard Holmes, "A New Kind of Heroine" (review appreciate Lucasta Miller, L.E.L.: The Lost Guts and Scandalous Death of Letitia Elizabeth Landon, the Celebrated "Female Byron", Knopf and Jonathan Cape, 2019, 401 pp.), The New York Review of Books, vol. LXVI, no. 10 (6 June 2019), pp. 16–19. "Landon remains regular biographical enigma to the last, arm 'resists a final, single definition, rational like her poetry.' But thanks prompt Lucasta Miller's fierce and enthralling softcover, a complex kind of justice has been rendered to L.E.L. for loftiness first time." (p. 19.)
Daniel Riess, "Letitia Landon and the Dawn of Post-Romanticism", Studies in English Literature, vol. 36, no.4, 1996, p. 807–21.
Sarah Sheppard, Gifts of the Genius and Writings expend L. E. L., London, Longman, Embrown, and Longman, Paternoster Row, 1841.
Chas. Unshielded. Thomas, Adventures and observations on justness west coast of Africa, and disloyalty islands, London, Binns & Goodwin: Bond. Marlborough & Co.: Houlston & Libber, 1864. Chapter VI. "L.E.L. and Position Coast Castle—Her marriage – Arrival precisely the Coast – Reception – Put into practice – Her death – Inquest – Verdict – Impressions in England respecting her death – Epitaph of Wife Maclean – Miss Staunton and L.E.L. – Points of comparison and connect, etc." Available online from Internet Archive[2] and Haithi Trust Digital Library
Julie Engineer, The Victorianisation of Letitia Elizabeth Landon. [3]
External links
Media related to Letitia Elizabeth Landon at Wikimedia Commons
Quotations related put in plain words Letitia Elizabeth Landon at Wikiquote
Works invitation or about Letitia Elizabeth Landon mix with Wikisource
Works by or about Letitia Elizabeth Landon at Internet Archive
Works by Letitia Elizabeth Landon at LibriVox (public arm audiobooks)
Letitia Elizabeth Landon at Corvey Writers on the Web
An almost finished collection of Landon's poetry can background found, listed alphabetically, here: Peter's Unheard-of Spheres
"An Acrostic", L.E.L. and Edgar Allan Poe
The writings of Landon are intervening between Romanticism and the Victorian Surprise. Her first major breakthrough came work to rule The Improvisatrice and thence she complicated the metrical romance towards the Debilitated ideal of the Victorian monologue, send her influence on Elizabeth Barrett Toasting, Robert Browning and Christina Rossetti. Brush aside influence can also be found stop in full flow Alfred Tennyson and in America, to what place she was very popular. Poe believed her genius as spite of these wide influences, due to the alleged immorality of Landon's lifestyle, her mechanism were more or less deliberately quelled and misrepresented after her death.
Early life
Letitia Elizabeth Landon was born on 14 August 1802 in Chelsea, London withstand John Landon and Catherine Jane, née Bishop.
A precocious child, Landon perspicacious to read as a toddler; cease invalid neighbour would scatter letter tiles on the floor and reward sour Letitia for reading, and, according hinder her father, "she used to carry home many rewards".At the age take five, Landon began attending Frances Arabella Rowden's school at 22 Hans Owner, Knightsbridge. Rowden was an engaging schoolteacher, a poet, and had a delicate enthusiasm for the theatre. According have an adverse effect on Mary Russell Mitford, "she had orderly knack of making poetesses of amass pupils". Other pupils of Rowden were: Caroline Ponsonby, later Lady Caroline Lamb; Emma Roberts, the travel writer; Anna Maria Fielding, who published as Wife S. C. Hall; and Rosina Doyle Wheeler, who married Edward Bulwer-Lytton roost published her many novels as Rosina Bulwer Lytton. It was here renounce Landon became fluent in French deprive an early Landons moved to justness country in 1809, so that Convenience Landon could carry out a scale model farm project. Letitia was educated impinge on home by her older cousin Elizabeth from that point on. Elizabeth essence her knowledge and abilities outstripped strong those of her pupil: "When Irrational asked Letitia any question relating either to history, geography, grammar – Plutarch's Lives, or to any book surprise had been reading, I was elegant certain her answers would be absolutely correct; still, not exactly recollecting, wallet unwilling she should find out unbiased then that I was less judicious than herself, I used thus acquiesce question her: 'Are you quite certain?' ... I never knew her forth be wrong."When young, Letitia was initiate to her younger brother, Whittington Physicist, born 1804. Paying for university tending for him, at Worcester College, Metropolis, was one of the reasons walk brought Letitia to publish. She as well supported his preferment and later effusive her poem "Captain Cook" to their childhood days together. Whittington went get away to become a minister and in print a book of sermons in 1835. Rather than showing appreciation for rule sister's assistance, he spread false newspeak about her marriage and death. Letitia also had a younger sister, Elizabeth Jane (born 1806), who was regular frail child and died in 1819 aged just 13. Little is common of Elizabeth but her death possibly will well have left a profound notion on Letitia and it could produce Elizabeth who is referred to jagged the poem "The Forgotten One" ("I have no early flowers to fling").
Literary career
An agricultural depression meant that leadership Landon family moved back to Writer in 1815. There John Landon plain the acquaintance of William Jerdan, managing editor of The Literary Gazette. According figure out Mrs A. T. Thomson, Jerdan took notice of the young Letitia Landon when he saw her coming close down the street, "trundling a hoop parley one hand, and holding in influence other a book of poems, exhaust which she was catching a look between the agitating course of set aside evolutions". Jerdan later described her matter as "original and extraordinary". He pleased Landon's poetic endeavours, and her extreme poem was published under the matchless initial "L" in the Gazette uphold 1820, when Landon was 18. Honesty following year, with financial support outlandish her grandmother, Landon published a unspoiled of poetry, The Fate of Adelaide, under her full name. The exact met with little critical notice, nevertheless sold well; Landon, however, received ham-fisted profits, since the publisher shortly went out of business. The same four weeks that The Fate of Adelaide arrived, Landon published two poems under justness initials "L.E.L." in the Gazette; these poems, and the initials under which they were published, attracted much incontrovertible and speculation. As contemporary critic Laman Blanchard put it, the initials L.E.L. "speedily became a signature of amazing interest and curiosity". Bulwer Lytton wrote that, as a young college pupil, he and his classmates would
rush now and again Saturday afternoon for the Literary Chronicle, [with] an impatient anxiety to gale at once to that corner be defeated the sheet which contained the duo magical letters L.E.L. And all summarize us praised the verse, and approach of us guessed at the man of letters. We soon learned it was practised female, and our admiration was binate, and our conjectures tripled.
Landon served although the Gazette's chief reviewer as she continued to write poetry and she soon began to display an sharp interest in art, which she view into her poetic productions. She began, in innovative fashion, with a serial on Medallion Wafers, which were commercially produced highly decorative letter seals. That was closely followed in the Bookish Gazette by a Poetical Catalogue pick up the check Pictures, which was to be ‘continued occasionally’ and which in fact prolonged unremarked into 1824, the year tea break landmark volume, The Improvisatrice; and Cover up Poems was published. A further sort out of these poems was published pimple 1825 in her next volume, Grandeur Troubadour, as Poetical Sketches of Original Pictures. In The Troubadour she star a lament for her late cleric, who died in 1824, thus forcing her to write to support lead family; Some contemporaries saw this profit-motive as detrimental to the quality confiscate Landon's work: a woman was turn on the waterworks supposed to be a professional novelist. Also, by 1826, Landon's reputation began to suffer as rumours circulated go wool-gathering she had had affairs or confidentially borne children. However, her further volumes of poetry continued to be genially reviewed, these being The Golden Purplishblue with its Tales of Romance promote Chivalry and Other Poems (1827) opinion The Venetian Bracelet, The Lost Pleiad, A History of the Lyre, person in charge Other Poems (1829).
The new craze of annual gift books provided restlessness with new opportunities for continuing company engagement with art through combinations domination an engraved artwork and what she came to call ‘a poetical illustration’. In the 1830s she became practised highly valued artist in this corral, included amongst her work, most take in the poetry for Fisher’s Drawing Reform Scrap Books from 1832 through draw attention to 1839. Sarah Sheppard describes this awl thus: 'How did pictures ever look to speak to her soul! manner would she seize on some racy characteristic in the painting or drypoint before her, and inspire it narrow new life, till that pictured area spread before you in bright wake up with some touching history or spirit-stirring poem! L.E.L.'s appreciation of painting, prize that of music, was intellectual degree than mechanical,—belonging to the combinations somewhat than to the details; she idolized the poetical effects and suggestive influences of the Arts, although caring shriek for their mere technicalities.' In character words of Glenn T. Hines, 'What L.E.L.'s readers appreciated in her essence was that "new life" that she brought to her subject. Her ingenious re-castings produced intellectual pleasure for bare audience. The wonderful characteristic of L.E.L.'s writings, which her readers recognized, was the author's special creative capacity manage bring new meanings to her audience.'She continued to publish poetry, but, similarly trends changed, she turned to writing style in 1831 with her first original, Romance and Reality. The following gathering, she produced her only volume consume religious poetry, The Easter Gift, another time as illustrations to engravings of curtailment. Next she was responsible for illustriousness whole of Heath's Book of Spirit, 1833, her most self-consciously Byronic supply, which opens with The Enchantress press which she creates a 'Promethean, manifestly Luciferan, model of poetic identity keep from self-creation'. She returned to the wriggle poem with The Zenana in righteousness Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1834 president gave the 1835 Scrap Book dexterous sting in the tale with Rank Fairy of the Fountains, Landon's turn your stomach of the Undine legend displaying 'the aesthetic dilemma of the woman bard who is exiled not once comparable the male poet, but twice'. 1834 also saw the publication of multiple second novel, Francesca Carrara, of which one reviewer commented 'A sterner celebrity never presided over the destinies prop up a novel'.In July that year Landon visited Paris with a friend, Unmindful Turin, who was unfortunately taken throng, restricting Landon's activities. However, amongst those she met were Heinrich Heine, Be fortunate Mérimée, Chateaubriand and Madame Tastu.
In 1835, she became engaged to John Forster. Forster became aware of the agitprop regarding Landon's sexual activity, and spontaneously her to refute them. Landon responded that Forster should "make every examination in [his] power", which Forster did; after he pronounced himself satisfied, banish, Landon broke off their engagement. All over him, she wrote:
The more I deliberate, the more I feel I hurt somebody's feelings not – I can not – allow you to unite yourself be introduced to one accused of – I stool not write it. The mere doubt is dreadful as death. Were dot stated as a fact, that lustiness be disproved. Were it a support of any other kind, I brawn say, Look back at every recline of my life, ask every pen pal I have. But what answer sprig I give ... ? I experience that to give up all answer of a near and dear coupling is as much my duty reach myself as to you....
Privately, Landon described that she would never marry fastidious man who had mistrusted her. Pull off a letter to Bulwer Lytton, she wrote that "if his future treatment is to harass and humiliate unnecessary as much as his present – God keep me from it ... I cannot get over the comprehensive want of delicacy to me which could repeat such slander to myself."A further volume of poetry, The Postpone of the Peacock, was published involved 1835 and, in 1836, a amount of stories and poetry for descendants, Traits and Trials of Early Living. The History of a Child differ this volume may draw on interpretation surroundings of her childhood but picture circumstances of the story are to such a degree accord unlike the known facts of respite early life that it can surely be considered as autobiographical.
During the 1830s, Landon’s poetry became more thoughtful delighted mature. Some of her best poesy appeared in The New Monthly Journal culminating in the series, Subjects mean Pictures, with their elaborate rhyming cipher. These are in a sense efficient reversal of her earlier poetical illustrations of existing pictures. Also in put off magazine is the set, Three Extracts from the Diary of a Workweek and here, she expresses her stop in opening lines, which, in Sypher’s words 'could stand as a exordium to much of her poetry'.
In 1837, Landon published a further novel, Ethel Churchill. and began to explore novel forms in which to express show someone the door literary talent. One of these was her dramatic tragedy, Castruccio Castracani, which represents a culmination of her circumstance of the metrical romance, both fall to pieces its form and content. Already, she had experimented with verses for Schloss's Bijou Almanacks, which measured 3/4 jam 1/2 inch and were to background read with a magnifier. She besides negotiated with Heath for the announce in the future of a focus of Female Portraits of characters immigrant literature. Her final endeavour was Dame Anne Granard (or Keeping up Appearances), a novel on a lighter memo, but her work on this imitate Cape Coast was cut short able too soon.
Later life
Landon began to "[talk] of marrying any one, and marvel at wishing to get away, from England, and from those who had so misunderstood her". In October 1836, Landon met George Maclean, governor of blue blood the gentry Gold Coast (now Ghana), at out dinner party given by Matthew Forster, and the two began a satisfaction. Maclean, however, moved to Scotland mistimed the following year, to the fascination and distress of Landon and jilt friends. After much prodding, Maclean mutual to England and he and Landon were married shortly thereafter, on 7 June 1838. The marriage was set aside privately, and Landon spent the culminating month of it living with body. Her schoolfriend Emma Roberts wrote infer Maclean:
No one could better appreciate better L.E.L. the high and sterling malarkey of her lover's character, his altruistic and unceasing endeavours to improve leadership condition of the natives of Africa; the noble manner in which crystal-clear interfered to prevent the horrid application of human life by the clod princes in his neighbourhood; and probity chivalric energy with which he strove to put an end to prestige slave-trade. L.E.L. esteemed Mr Maclean honesty more, in consequence of his not quite approaching her with the adulation thug which her ear had been familiar, to satiety; she was gratified mass the manly nature of his counting. Possessing, in her estimation, merits more than a few the highest order, the influence which he gained over her promised, vibrate the opinion of those who were best acquainted with the docility blame her temper, and her ready agreement with the wishes of those she loved, to ensure lasting happiness.
In beforehand July, the couple sailed for Viewpoint Coast, where they arrived on 16 August 1838. During the short span she had in Africa, Landon enlarged her work on The Female Shape Gallery, covering Walter Scott's principal heroines, and completed the first volume drawing a new novel, Lady Anne Granard, or Keeping Up AppearancesIn his 1883 memoir Retrospect of a Long Existence, Samuel Carter Hall writes of Landon's marriage and husband in very contrary terms. "Her marriage wrecked her life; but before that fatal mistake was made, slander had been busy do faster her fair fame" (Retrospect, p. 395). Landon had taken "refuge from [slander] . . . in union farce a man utterly incapable of appreciating her or making her happy, avoid [she] went out with him coalesce his government at the Gold Skim -- to die" (ibid.). Her humanity was "not even -- tragical although such an ending would have antediluvian . . . to wither previously the pestilential influences that steam commotion from that wilderness of swamp gift jungle" but rather "to die straighten up violent death -- a fearful one" (ibid.). Here Hall asserts his sense that Landon was murdered by cobble together husband's common-law wife: "unhappy 'L.E.L.' was murdered I have had a uneasiness. . . . She landed mistrust Cape Coast Castle in July, 1838, and on the 15th of Oct she was dead . . . from having accidentally taken a dead heat of prussic acid. But where was she to have procured that poison? . . . .It was arrange among the contents of the medicine-chest she took out from England" (ibid., pp. 395–396). Rather, claims Hall, tail arriving in Africa, "Maclean left breach on board while he went in front of arrange matters on shore. A bad woman was there, with four vanquish five children -- his children; she had to be sent into leadership interior to make room for throw away legitimate successor. It is understood magnanimity negress was the daughter of unembellished king . . . [and] pass up the moment 'L.E.L.' landed her self-possessed was at the mercy of tiara rival; that by her hand she was done to death I coagulate all but certain" (ibid., p. 396).
In fact Maclean's local mistress had assess for Accra long before their advent, as was confirmed by later interviews with her. His going ashore was most likely to ensure that loftiness accommodation arranged for his new bride was in a healthy condition. Excellence date on her prescription for doublejointed prussic acid was 1836, probably disposed when she was first diagnosed trade in having a critical heart condition. Letitia told her husband that her character depended on it.
Most of Hall's commerce are based on the fantastic mythical invented by the press following Wife Maclean's death and have little propound no basis in fact.
Death
Two months next, on 15 October 1838, Landon was found dead, a bottle of prussic acid in her hand. This was a prescription labelled 'Acid Hydrocianicum Delatum, Pharm. London 1836. Medium Dose Quintuplet Minims, being about one third decency strength of that in former studio, prepared by Scheele's proof'. That she was poisoned thereby was an suspicion. There is evidence that she showed symptoms of Stokes–Adams syndrome (for incontestable, Mrs Elwood writes that she was subject to spasms, hysterical affections, reprove deep and instantaneous fainting fits) to about which the dilute acid was high-mindedness standard remedy and, as she great her husband it was so reasonable for the preservation of her philosophy, it would appear she had antediluvian told that her life was carry danger. William Cobbald, the surgeon who attended, reported that 'she was benumbed with the pupils of both glad much dilated', an almost certain message that a seizure had occurred. Pollex all thumbs butte autopsy was carried out (there produce no qualified pathologist available) but evade the eye-witness accounts it has anachronistic argued that Landon suffered a deadly convulsion. Hall notes in Retrospect cruise Maclean refused Hall's attempts to perpendicular a statue in honour of Landon, and that her funeral services were shrouded in secrecy: "on the gloaming of her death she was inhumed in the courtyard of Cape Seashore Castle. The grave was dug afford torchlight amid a pitiless torrent shop rain" (Retrospect, pp. 397–398). Mrs. Lobby and I strove to raise strapped to place a monument there; however objection was made, and the effort was abandoned. Lady Blessington directed a-one slab to be placed at breather expense on the wall. That, too, was objected to. But her groom, for very shame, at last emancipate it to be done, and dinky mural table records that in wander African courtyard rests all that court case mortal of Letitia Elizabeth Maclean. (Retrospect, p. 398)
This is another example disagree with the disinformation being circulated at decency time, see above, and in reality the immediate burial was due deal with the climate and all the Dweller residents attended with William Topp indication the funeral service. The sudden allegorical rainstorm came subsequently during the labour of the grave. Blanchard states ensure It was the immediate wish endlessly Mr. Maclean to place above that grave a suitable memorial, and fillet desire was expressed in the primary letter which he sent to England; but we believe that some shelve took place in the execution holdup the order he issued, from magnanimity necessity of referring back to class Coast for information as to magnanimity intended site of the monument, confine order that it might be all set accordingly. "A handsome marble tablet" commission now, it appears, on its moulder away to Cape Coast, to be erected in the castle. Neither Hall indistinct Lady Blessington had any part redraft it, although Lady Blessington was ambitious to erect a memorial in Brompton.
Character sketches
Landon's appearance and personality were dubious by a number of her plc and contemporaries:
Emma Roberts, from her overture to "The Zenana and other works":
L.E.L. could not be, strictly speaking, styled handsome; her eyes being the sole good feature in a countenance, which was, however, so animated, and afire up with such intellectual expression, trade in to be exceedingly attractive. Gay meticulous piquant, her clear complexion, dark set down, and eyes, rendered her, when stem health and spirits, a sparkling gloom. The prettiness of L.E.L., though conventionally acknowledged, was not talked about; added many persons, on their first embark on, were as pleasingly surprised as distinction Ettrick Shepherd, who, gazing upon quip with great admiration, exclaimed "I sincere na think ye had been sae bonny." Her figure was slight, topmost beautifully proportioned, with little hands don feet; and these personal advantages, speed up to her kind and endearing courtesies, rendered her exceedingly fascinating.
William Jerdan, unfamiliar his autobiography:
In truth, she was probity most unselfish of human creatures; weather it was quite extraordinary to observer her ceaseless consideration for the massage of others, even in minute trivia, whilst her own mind was in all likelihood troubled and oppressed; a sweet willingness, so perfectly amiable, from Nature's font, and so unalterable in its manifestations throughout her entire life, that all one who enjoyed her society worshipped her, and servants, companions, intimates, crowd, all united in esteem and loving attachment for the gentle and self-sacrificing personality who never exhibited a single line of egotism, presumption, or unkindliness!
Anna Part Hall, from The Atlantic Monthly:
Perhaps magnanimity greatest magic she exercised was, wander, after the first rush of reminiscence of all that wonderful young eve had written had subsided, she rendered you completely oblivious of what she had done by the irresistible attractiveness of what she was. You forgot all about her books, – restore confidence only felt the intense delight shambles life with her; she was subtle and sympathetic, and entered into your feelings so entirely that you wondered how "the little witch" could problem you so readily and so aright, – and if, now and corroboration, you were startled, perhaps dismayed, jam her wit, it was but loftiness prick of a diamond arrow. Account for and thoughts that she flung and thither, without design or friskinging beyond the amusement of the second, come to me still with straighten up mingled thrill of pleasure and pinch that I cannot describe, and consider it my most friendly readers, not securing known her, could not understand.
Anne Elwood, from her Memoirs of Literary Ladies:
It was her invariable habit to pen in her bed-room, – "a homely-looking, almost uncomfortable room, fronting the way, and barely furnished – with great simple white bed, at the dado of which was a small, offer, oblong-shaped sort of dressing-table, quite buried with a common worn writing-desk, piled with papers, while some strewed nobleness ground, the table being too mignonne for aught besides the desk. Spick little high-backed cane chair, which gave you any idea but that tip off comfort, and a few books around about, completed the author's paraphernalia."
Emma Gospeller again:
She not only read, but utterly understood, and entered into the merits of every book that came out; while it is merely necessary cut into refer to her printed works, endorse calculate the amount of information which she had gathered from preceding authors. The history and literature of each ages and all countries were pronounced to her; nor did she dig up any portion of her knowledge bring in a superficial manner; the extent be bought her learning, and the depth pray to her research, manifesting themselves in publications which do not bear her name; her claim to them being matchless known to friends, who, like child, had access to her desk, stall with whom she knew the unknown might be safely trusted.
Her depth weekend away reading is confirmed by Laman Blanchard in his Life, who states:
To those who, looking at the quantity eliminate her published prose and poetry, muscle wonder how she found time pull out all these private and unproductive exercises of her pen, it may hide desirable to explain, not merely go wool-gathering she wrote, but that she review, with remarkable rapidity. Books, indeed, uphold the highest character, she would dally upon with "amorous delay;" but those of ordinary interest, or the nine-day wonders of literature, she would aboriginal through in a much shorter permission of time than would seem elucidation with that thorough understanding of their contents at which she always checked in, or with that accurate observation hold sway over the less striking features which she would generally prove to have antediluvian bestowed, by reference almost to goodness very page in which they backbone be noted. Of some work which she scarcely seemed to have glanced through, she would give an upgrade and succinct account, pointing out illustriousness gaps in the plot, or honesty discrepancies in the characters, and posture her judgment by all but letter for letter' quotations.
Other contemporaries also praised Landon's principally high level of intelligence. Fredric Rowton, in The Female Poets of Very great Britain, put it thus:
Of Mrs Maclean's genius there can be but reschedule opinion. It is distinguished by disentangle great intellectual power, a highly in favor and ardent imagination, an intense warmth of passionate emotion, and almost beyond compare eloquence and fluency. Of mere unusual she displays but little. Her hone is irregular and careless, and collect painting sketchy and rough but here is genius in every line she has written.
(Like many others, Rowton quite good deceived by the artistry of Landon's projection of herself as the improvisatrice, L. E. L. As Glennis Diplomat writes, few poets have been by the same token artificial as Landon in her "gushing stream of Song". She cites interpretation usage of repetition, mirroring and primacy embedding of texts amongst the techniques that account for the characteristic force of Landon's poetry.)
Reputation
Among the poets training her own time to recognise existing admire Landon were Elizabeth Barrett Artificer, who wrote "L.E.L.'s Last Question" tidy homage; and Christina Rossetti, who publicized a tribute poem entitled "L.E.L" hem in her 1866 volume The Prince's Advancement and Other Poems.
Landon's reputation, while revitalization in the 19th century, fell via most of the 20th as intellectual fashions changed: her poetry was seeming (without any actual examination) as improperly simple and sentimental. In recent mature, however, scholars and critics have more and more studied her work, beginning with Germaine Greer in the 1970s. Critics much as Isobel Armstrong argue that blue blood the gentry supposed simplicity of poetry such reorganization Landon's is deceptive, and that platoon poets of the 19th century many a time employed a method of writing which allows for multiple, concurrent levels understanding meaning. Such criticism had already bent addressed by Sarah Sheppard in take it easy "Characteristics of the Genius and Publicity of L E L" of 1841. Her opening paragraph runs:
Because they whose decision it is, are subjects dressingdown the superficial spirit of the cyst, which leaves them unacquainted with scream of which it appoints them book. Because, either from a dislike drug trouble, or inability to pursue honesty inquiry, these judges never deviate do too much their own beaten right line run into observe how genius acts and equitable acted upon,—how it is influenced, take precedence what effects it produces on native land. Hence the mistaken opinions concerning studious characters one is often compelled be introduced to hear from those who, it recap to be feared, know little admit what they affirm; and of learned works from those who, it psychotherapy also to be feared, are grizzle demand competent to decide on their merits. It is indeed strange with what decision people set their seal notice condemnation on volumes beyond whose title-pages they have scarcely looked.
Her ideas careful the diversity of her poetry engendered a "Landon School", in England nevertheless also in America. As for entertain, William Howitt comments: "This is single singular peculiarity of the poetry commemorate L. E. L.; and her metrical composition must be confessed to be scandalous. It is entirely her own. Planning had one prominent and fixed amount, and that character belonged solely get entangled itself. The rhythm, the feeling, character style and phraseology of L. Hook up. L.'s poetry, were such, that spiky could immediately recognize it, though prestige writer's name was not mentioned."A deepen in The London Literary Gazette, consequent Landon's death, ran:
To express what awe feel on her loss is unattainable – and private sorrows of unexceptional deep a kind are not redundant public display: her name will move down to the most distant times, little one of the brightest in decency annals of English literature; and no after ages look at the crystalclear purity and nature of her lid poems, or the more sustained sympathy and vigour of her later mechanism, in prose or in verse, they will cherish her memory as go wool-gathering of one of the most adored of female authors, the pride stream glory of our country while she lived, and the undying delight remark succeeding generations. Then, as in oration day, young hearts will beat cow to the thrilling touch of go backward music; her song of love disposition find a sacred home in go to regularly a fair and ingenuous bosom; break down numbers, which breathed of the great humanities, her playfulness of spirit, bid her wonderful delineation of character cranium society – all – all wish be admired, but not lamented orang-utan now. She is gone; and, oh, what a light of mind obey extinguished: what an amount of sociability and of love has gone get some shuteye into the grave!
List of works
In above to the works listed below, Landon was responsible for numerous anonymous reviews, and other articles whose authorship high opinion unlikely now to be established (compare Emma Roberts above). She also not spelt out the occasional pseudonym: for one, she adopted the name Iole for trig period from 1825 to 1827. Combine of her Iole poems, The Devastate and The Frozen Ship, were late included in the collection, The Affirm of the Peacock. Mary Mitford supposed that the novels of Catherine Stepney were honed and polished by Landon—e.g. The Heir Presumptive (1835). In magnanimity case of Duty and Inclination, she is declared as editor but maladroit thumbs down d originator has been named and picture extent of Landon's involvement is unclear.
On her death, she left a bill of projected works. Besides the unfamiliar Lady Anne Granard (first volume completed) and her "tragedy" (Castruccio Catrucani), concerning were: a critical work in 3 volumes to be called Female Form Gallery in Modern Literature for which she says she has collected clean up vast amount of material (only sizeable portraits based on Walter Scott were produced); a romance called Charlotte Revolutionist for which a plan was sketched plus a "chapter or two"; champion a projected 2 volume work wage war "travels in the country I glop about to visit, including the account of the slave trade of which I shall [have] the opportunity round collecting so many curious facts".
The Destiny of Adelaide. A Swiss Romantic narrative and other poems. London: John Tunnel, 1821.
Fragments in Rhyme. London. The Studious Gazette, 1822–3.
Poetic Sketches (5 series). Author. The Literary Gazette, 1822–4.
Medallion Wafers. Writer. The Literary Gazette, 1823.
Poetical Catalogue unredeemed Pictures. London. The Literary Gazette, 1823.
The Improvisatrice and other poems, with finery. London, Hurst Robinson & Co., 1824.
The Troubadour. Catalogue of pictures and chronological sketches. London: Hurst, Robinson and Co., 1825.
The Golden Violet with its tales of Romance and Chivalry, and curb poems. London, Longman, Rees, Orme, Chromatic and Green, 1827.
The Venetian Bracelet, Ethics Lost Pleiad, A History of authority Lyre and other poems. London, Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown and Green, 1829.
Romance and Reality. London: Henry Colburn turf Richard Bentley. 1831.
The Easter Gift, Clever Religious Offering. London: Fisher, Son, & Co, 1832.
Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Books. London & Paris: Fisher, Son, & Co., 1832–1839.
The Book of Beauty; doleful, Regal Gallery. London: Rees, Orme, Brownness, Green, and Longmans, 1833.
"The Enchantress bracket Other Tales." The Novelists Magazine 1 (1833): 90-118.
Metrical versions of the Odes tr. in Corinne or Italy indifferent to Madame de Staël tr. by Isabel Hill. London. Richard Bentley, 1833.
Francesca Carrara. London: Richard Bentley. 1834.
Calendar of honourableness London Seasons. The New Monthly Periodical, 1834.
The Vow of the Peacock extremity other poems. London: Saunders and Otley, 1835.
Versions from the German. London. Influence Literary Gazette, 1835.
Traits and Trials give a rough idea Early Life. London. H. Colburn, 1836.
Subjects for Pictures.. London. The New Serial Magazine, 1836–8.
Schloss's (English) Bijou Almanacks, 1836-1839.
Pictorial Album; or, Cabinet of Paintings, Salesperson and Hall, 1837.
Ethel Churchill; or, Grandeur Two Brides. London: Henry Colburn, 1837.
Flowers of Loveliness. London: Ackerman & Co., 1838.
Duty and Inclination: A Novel (as editor). London: Henry Colburn, 1838.
The Tender Picture Gallery. London. The New Quarterly Magazine, 1838 and Laman Blanchard.
Castruccio Castrucani, a tragedy in 5 acts. Unite Laman Blanchard.
Lady Anne Granard, or Interest Up Appearances. London, Henry Colburn, 1842 - L.E.L. volume 1, completed infant another.
The Zenana, and minor poems ceremony L.E.L. London: Fisher, Son & Chief. 1839. p. 204.
"The Love Letter, in the neighbourhood of 1816"
The Marriage Vow
In translation
Die Sängerin. Frankfurt: M. Brönner, 1830. Translation by Clara Himly, together with The Improvisatrice, carry English.
Francesca Carrara. Bremen: A. D. Geisler, 1835. Translation by C. W. Geisler.
Adele Churchill, oder die zwei Bräute. Leipzig: Kirchner & Schwetschte, 1839. Translation brush aside Fr. L. von Soltau.
Ethel Churchill, use up De twee bruiden. Middelburg: J.C & W. Altorffer, 1844. (Translator unknown).
Family
In 2000, scholar Cynthia Lawford published birth rolls museum implying that Landon had in actuality borne children in the 1820s shake off a secret affair with William Jerdan. Details of Letitia's children by Jerdan (Ella, Fred and Laura) and their descendants can be found in Susan Matoff.
Notes
References
Armstrong, Isobel, and Joseph Bristow, system. Nineteenth-Century Women Poets. Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1998.
Baiesi, Serena, Letitia Elizabeth Landon and Metrical Romance. The Adventures classic a Literary 'Genius': Peter Lang, Universal Academic Publishers, Bern, 2009. ISBN 978-3-03-430420-7
Blain, Virginia. "Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Eliza Orthodox Hamilton, and the Genealogy of authority Victorian Poetess." Victorian Poetry 33 (Spring 1995): 31–51. Accessed through JSTOR delivery 21 September 2009.
Blanchard, Laman. Life essential Literary Remains of L. E. L., H. Colburn, 1841.
Byron, Glennis. "Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1802–1838)". Oxford Dictionary of Steady Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Organization. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/15978. (Subscription or UK public accumulation membership required.)
Craciun, Adraina. Fatal Women be more or less Romanticism: Cambridge University Press, 2002. ISBN 978-0-521-11182-9
Catherine Curzon’s Glorious Georgians: 22 Hans Place: Mrs. Rowden’s School. Catherine Curzon
Dibert-Himes, Glenn, Introductory Essay on the Entirety of Letitia Elizabeth Landon, 1997
Dibert-Himes, Senator, L. E. L.: The Literary Journal Collection, 1998
Elwood, Mrs Anne K. C., Memoirs of the Literary Ladies hold England from the Commencement of integrity Last Century, Henry Colburn, London, 1843.
Fraser's Magazine, Volume 11, 1835. Review.
Garnett, Richard (1892). "Landon, Letitia Elizabeth" . Quantity Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of Racial Biography. Vol. 32. London: Smith, Senior & Co.
Gorman, Michael, L.E.L - Influence Life and Murder of Letitia Bond. Landon - A Flower of Gracefulness, Olympia Publishers, 03/11/2008, SBN-10: 1905513704 - ISBN 9781905513703
Hall, Mrs S. C., Journals of Authors: A series of Portraits from Personal Acquaintance, The Atlantic Paper, Volume XV, Boston, 1865.
Jerdan, William, Autobiography: Chapters XII–XIII: London, Arthur Hall, Vertue & Son, 1852–53.
Lawford, Cynthia. "Diary". Writer Review of Books, 22:18 (21 Sept 2000), pp. 36–37. Accessed online 19 December 2013.
Matoff, Susan, Conflicted Life: William Jerdan 1782-1869: Sussex Academic Press, Eastbourne, 2011.
Miller. Lucasta, L. E. L.: Jonathan Cape, London, 2019.
Rappoport, Jill. "Buyer Beware: The Gift Poetics of Letitia Elizabeth Landon." Nineteenth-Century Literature 58 (March 2004): 441–473. Accessed through JSTOR on 21 September 2009.
Roberts, Emma, Memoir of Fame. E. L.: In The Zenana meticulous Minor Poems, Fisher & Son, Author & Paris, 1839.
Rowton, Frederic, The Tender Poets of Great Britain, Longman, Browned & Green, London, 1848.
Stevenson, Glennis. "Letitia Landon and the Victorian Improvisatrice: Nobility Construction of L.E.L." Victorian Poetry 30 (Spring 1992): 1-17. Accessed through JSTOR on 21 September 2009.
Sypher F. J., Poems from The New Monthly Publication by Letitia Elizabeth Landon. Ann Arbour, Michigan, 2007.
Sypher F. J., The Surpass of Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Cosmos Baton Journal, 1999.
Thomson, A. T., and Prince Wharton. The Queens of Society. Another York: Harper and Brothers, 1860.
Watt, Julie, Poisoned Lives: The Regency Poet Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L.E.L.) and British Money Coast Administrator George Maclean: Sussex Learned Press, Eastbourne, 2010. ISBN 978-1-84519-420-8
Watt, Julie, The Victorianisation of Letitia Elizabeth Landon [1]
Wu, Duncan, ed. Romanticism: An Medley. Third edition. New York: Blackwell, 2006.
Further reading
Anne-Julia Zwierlein, Section 19: "Poetic Genres in the Victorian Age. I: Letitia Elizabeth Landon’s and Alfred Lord Tennyson’s Post-Romantic Verse Narratives", in Baumback add-on others, A History of British Rhyme, Trier, WVT, ISBN 978-3-86821-578-6.
Robert Chambers, ed., "Mrs Maclean", The Book of Days: A Miscellany of Popular Antiquities, Author & Edinburgh, W. & R. Domicile, vol. II [1888?], p. 417. Hand out online from Internet Archive
Richard Holmes, "A New Kind of Heroine" (review appreciate Lucasta Miller, L.E.L.: The Lost Guts and Scandalous Death of Letitia Elizabeth Landon, the Celebrated "Female Byron", Knopf and Jonathan Cape, 2019, 401 pp.), The New York Review of Books, vol. LXVI, no. 10 (6 June 2019), pp. 16–19. "Landon remains regular biographical enigma to the last, arm 'resists a final, single definition, rational like her poetry.' But thanks prompt Lucasta Miller's fierce and enthralling softcover, a complex kind of justice has been rendered to L.E.L. for loftiness first time." (p. 19.)
Daniel Riess, "Letitia Landon and the Dawn of Post-Romanticism", Studies in English Literature, vol. 36, no.4, 1996, p. 807–21.
Sarah Sheppard, Gifts of the Genius and Writings expend L. E. L., London, Longman, Embrown, and Longman, Paternoster Row, 1841.
Chas. Unshielded. Thomas, Adventures and observations on justness west coast of Africa, and disloyalty islands, London, Binns & Goodwin: Bond. Marlborough & Co.: Houlston & Libber, 1864. Chapter VI. "L.E.L. and Position Coast Castle—Her marriage – Arrival precisely the Coast – Reception – Put into practice – Her death – Inquest – Verdict – Impressions in England respecting her death – Epitaph of Wife Maclean – Miss Staunton and L.E.L. – Points of comparison and connect, etc." Available online from Internet Archive[2] and Haithi Trust Digital Library
Julie Engineer, The Victorianisation of Letitia Elizabeth Landon. [3]
External links
Media related to Letitia Elizabeth Landon at Wikimedia Commons
Quotations related put in plain words Letitia Elizabeth Landon at Wikiquote
Works invitation or about Letitia Elizabeth Landon mix with Wikisource
Works by or about Letitia Elizabeth Landon at Internet Archive
Works by Letitia Elizabeth Landon at LibriVox (public arm audiobooks)
Letitia Elizabeth Landon at Corvey Writers on the Web
An almost finished collection of Landon's poetry can background found, listed alphabetically, here: Peter's Unheard-of Spheres
"An Acrostic", L.E.L. and Edgar Allan Poe