Letters to Sophia

The Afterlives of Hester Thrale

Inbunden, Engelska, 2025

269 kr

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The chance discovery of letters from Hester Thrale (1741–1821) to her daughter Sophia provides an opportunity to rethink our understanding of one of the key people in the life of the dictionary-maker and moralist Dr Samuel Johnson. Much-maligned after the death of her first husband for her decision to marry Gabriel Piozzi, an Italian musician and Catholic, Hester has often been portrayed as cold-hearted and lacking in the essentials of motherhood. These letters shed new light on her relations with her four surviving daughters (she gave birth to 12 children in 14 years). They also reveal her desire for recognition as a scholar and poet, and her keen awareness of her shortcomings. They provide a fascinating portrait of a complex woman, determining her independence and that of her daughters, in spite of family tragedy and vicious criticism in the press.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2025-11-04
Mått138 x 216 x 22 mm
Vikt520 g
FormatInbunden
SpråkEngelska
Antal sidor194
FörlagKulturalis
ISBN9781836360131

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Kate Chisholm is the author of Fanny Burney: Her Life and Wits and Wives: Dr Johnson in the Company of Women. She has written biographical essays on the Burney family for The Cambridge Companion to Frances Burney, on Mary Wollstonecraft for Mary Wollstonecraft in Context and on her family’s connection with India for The Last Bungalow: Writings from Allahabad. A former fellow of the Royal Literary Fund, she was the radio critic of The Spectator for 13 years.

Foreword 6What Hester Did Next 8‘Verses for Sophia Thrale’s Album’ by her Mother, 20Hester Lynch PiozziLetters to Sophia Thrale Hoare from Hester Lynch Piozzi 23Souvenirs de l’Amitié: Miniature Portraits 130by Sophia Thrale HoareLetters to Sophia Thrale Hoare from Her Friends:Samuel Johnson 157Arthur Murphy 159Maria Siddons 162Sarah M. Siddons 165Sarah Siddons 167Lady Eleanor Butler 168Lady Eleanor Butler 170Appendix: Letter from Hester Lynch Piozzi to 174Hester Maria ‘Queeney’ ThraleNotes on the Letters and Illustrations 180Acknowledgements 182Sources 184Index 188