Category: Regency Personalities
Maria Edgeworth – Regency Promenade by Nancy Mayer
In our Regency Promenade today, Nancy Mayer looks at Maria Edgeworth, a prolific writer of adults’ and children’s literature who held advanced views on estate management, politics and education.
Maria Edgeworth by John Downman 1807
Maria Edgeworth 1767-1849
“As a woman, my life, wholly domestic, can offer nothing
of interest to the public.” Maria
*****************
Maria Edgeworth was one of three children born to her father’s first, and least loved, wife.
Richard Edgeworth had four wives and twenty-one children. He had a large estate in Ireland. He experimented with education , using his children as subjects. Maria adored her father.
He brought her home from school when she was sixteen and set her as an assistant teacher to her siblings.
Maria Edgeworth
Maria’s family knew her as a warm, practical, volatile, loving person.
She became agitated over little upsets but was calm and efficient in major upheavals; she scoffed at the use of the supernatural and overly comic in books but enjoyed reading about them with her family.
She accepted her father’s philosophy of utilitarinism and incorporated its lessons in her stories for children.
Minature of Maria Edgeworth by Adam Buck c1790
She believed that a woman’s best profession was that of wife and mother, but never married.
She considered herself a critic of the feminist movement of Wollstonecraft and Mary Hays, but her writings mark her as a closet feminist; she also demonstrated an interest and competence in “masculine subjects” such as science, accounting, and logic.
At first, Maria wrote her books in collaboration or with the suggestion of her father. However with Letters for Literary Ladies and Castle Rackrent she wrote both of them without the knowledge of her father.
Hannah More and Her Circle By Cheryl Bolen
Today, Cheryl Bolen reviews a book on Hannah More, who was an important figure campaigning for social reform in Regency England. But did you know that in her younger days the proper Hannah More had written for the stage and had become friendly with some of the leading lights of English theatre and literature? Once you have read Cheryl’s review of this biography of Hannah More, you may want to seek out the book at your local library to learn more about this fascinating woman.
Regency Promenade – Henry Paget From Scandal to Hero by Nancy Mayer
Nancy Mayer looks at the life of Henry Paget in today’s Regency Promenade.
Sir Henry William Paget (1768-1854), 1st Marquess of Anglesey, 2nd Earl of Uxbridge
From Scandal to Hero.
Lord Paget, Earl of Uxbridge, Marquess of Anglesey.
When Henry was born, his father had the surname of Bayly and was Lord Paget.
The father adopted Paget as a surname when he was created the Earl of Uxbridge in 1784 . At that time, Henry became Lord Paget by which name he was known until 1812.
Henry, Lord Paget married Lady Caroline Villiers, daughter of the 4th Earl of Jersey in 1795, and had eight children with her.
Lord Paget was a member of parliament from 1790 to 1804 as well as between 1806 to 1810. Though he was elected to a seat in Parliament, Paget was also an active military officer.
Wikipedia says: Paget raised the regiment of Staffordshire volunteers and was given the temporary rank of lieutenant-colonel in 1793. He rose rapidly in rank after he had some experience.
Laughing Gas by Angelyn Schmid
Laughing Gas at Landsdowne House by Angelyn Schmid
Lansdowne House
The third Marquess of Lansdowne was no stranger to the rich and famous that came to the great London house. His father had hosted Benjamin Franklin (1706 – 1790) when the latter came to negotiate the terms for American independence.
One who was credited with the discovery of oxygen, Joseph Priestley (1733 – 1804) ran tame at Lansdowne House as well, living off the largess of the first marquess when he was still Lord Shelburne.
Regency Promenade – The Brothers Scott
In our Regency Promenade today, Nancy Mayer looks at the lives of The Brothers Scott.
William, who became Lord Stowell, and John, who became Lord Eldon.
Their father, William Scott of near Newcastle upon Tyne who made a modest fortune selling coal. He had thirteen children with his wife but only three sons and two daughter survived to adulthood….
William born with a twin sister in 1745; Henry; and John born 1751. Henry followed in his father’s footstep’s.
Sisters of Ill Repute: The Regency’s Harriette Wilson and Her Profligate Sisters by Cheryl Bolen
Today, Cheryl Bolen gives us a biographical sketch of a coterie of notable Regency Cyprians. Most Regency devotees are well-aware of the notorious courtesan, Harriette Wilson, who blackmailed scores of powerful and famous men when she was writing her memoirs. But did you know she had three sisters who joined her in her scandalous profession?
Regency Promenade – Elizabeth, Lady Melbourne
Elizabeth, Lady Melbourne, introduced by our Regency Promenade author, Nancy Mayer.
Elizabeth, Lady Melbourne, with her son
Lady Melbourne (née Milbanke: 1752-1818) was one of the most famous Regency Personages.
Her two claims to fame are her son William, husband of Lady Caroline Lamb, and her friendship with Lord Byron, the poet. She was also known for her political influence and her lovers, including George, Prince of Wales.
She was the mother of several children by three different fathers and only the eldest, Peniston, was thought to have been fathered by Lord Melbourne.
The Journal of Mrs. Arbuthnot by Cheryl Bolen
Today’s article from Cheryl Bolen is a review of the published journals of Harriet Arbuthnot, a close friend and confidant of the Duke of Wellington. Mrs. Arbuthnot was also a social hostess of the Tory party, and knew many of the social and political luminaries of her time. She has recorded her impressions of many of them in her journal. Cheryl Bolen will share her observations on Mrs. Arbuthnot herself, based on that same journal. This review of the journal includes excerpts, which allow Mrs. Arbuthnot to speak to us across the centuries.
REGENCY PROMENADE – 3rd Earl of Bathurst
REGENCY PROMENADE featuring the 3rd Earl of Bathurst
Presented by Nancy Mayer
Earl Bathurst
Henry Bathurst 3rd Earl Bathurst KG PC (22 May 1762 – 27 July 1834).
He is one who is seldom written about yet he held high offices in the government for most of his life. He was very much in public eye and notice as a member of Liverpool’s cabinet during the Regency. He was secretary of State for War and the Colonies for 15 years.
The first Lord Bathurst was created a baron in 1711. The males went into law, politics and the church. The 2nd Earl, was a judge of common pleas, then Lord High Chancellor (head of the court of Chancery and speaker of the House of Lords). He was also High Steward of England for the Duchess of Kingston’s bigamy trial.
Regency Promenade – About Lord Byron
To begin The Beau Monde’s new series on Regency Personages, Nancy Mayer,
Regency Researcher Extraordinaire, takes great delight in presenting -
About Lord Byron
About Lord Byron by Nancy Mayer
Lord Byron in Albanian Dress Image via Wikipedia
Lord Byron
1788 – 1824In April 1812, Lord Byron “awoke and found himself famous.” The occasion was the publication of the first two cantos of his “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage,” a poetical version of his journey to Greece.
It wasn’t exactly true that he had been unknown before 1812. He had been a man of interest to society ever since his return from travels to Spain and Greece. He was a bachelor peer and a new face on the social scene.
The publication of the poem made people of all classes more aware of him.
Lord Byron had a crippled foot and an air that made him wildly attractive to some females. He became the lion of the hour. He received more invitations than a man could possibly accept. He, also, if all tales are correct, received locks of hair from the head and pubic area of females, as well as gifts, love letters and all the silly things females still send to celebrities.
Not all ladies were attracted to him. Miss Edgeworth wasn’t as impressed by him as he was by her.
