Seward, Anna, 1742-1809

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English poet.

From the description of Conclusion of an autograph letter signed with postscript : Lichfield, to Robert Fellowes, [1804] Feb. 16. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270664731

Anna Seward was born in Eyam, Derbyshire, and resided in Lichfield, England from age thirteen until her death. In addition to her career as a poet, she carried on a voluminous correspondence with many literary figures.

From the description of Papers, 1781-1807. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 85213363

Anna Seward (1742-1809) was born in Eyam, Derbyshire, and resided in Lichfield, England from age thirteen until her death. In addition to her career as a poet, she carried on a voluminous correspondence with many literary figures. Known as "The Swan of Lichfield," she had an uneasy relationship with her town's other famous literary figure, Samuel Johnson.

From the guide to the Papers, 1781-1807., (Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University)

Anna Seward (1742-1809), often referred to as the "Swan of Lichfield," earned acclaim as a poetess and writer in late-18th-century Great Britain. The daughter of an Anglican minister, Thomas Seward (1708-1790), she grew up in Lichfield, England. Under her father's guidance, she read widely in English literature, and his own literary pursuits brought her into the company of many famous authors of the day, including Erasmus Darwin, Thomas Day, and Richard Lovell Edgeworth. Seward never married and spent most of her adult life in Lichfield, caring for her ailing parent and managing family finances as well as writing extensively and corresponding broadly in poetry and prose. Her major works include Elegy on Captain Cook (1780), Monody on Major André (1781), Louisa: a Poetical Novel, in Four Epistles (1784), Memoirs of the Life of Dr. Darwin (1804), and several volumes of verse.

From the guide to the Anna Seward Poems, Seward, Anna Poems., 1781-[1793], (William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan)

Anne, or Anna Seward (1742-1809), the 'Swan of Lichfield', poet and letter writer, was born in Eyam, Derbyshire. She was the only surviving child of Rev Thomas S. Hunter (also a poet and Canon of Lichfield from 1754) and his wife, Elizabeth (ne Hunter). In 1780, she drew public notice with elegiac poems on David Garrick and Captain Cook and these were followed by a poem in 1781 about Major Andre (a former suitor of Honora Sneyd who subsequently married Maria Edgeworth's father) and another one in 1782 about Anne Miller. Other publications included her verse novel Louisa (1784), a poem on her friends the Ladies of Llangollen in 1796, her sonnets in 1799, and Memoirs of Erasmus Darwin in 1804. The Gentleman's Magazine also published her versions of Horace's Odes and controversial letters - published under the pseudonym Benvolio, 1786-87 and then under her own name. She had extensive literary friendships who included Erasmus Darwin and Thomas Day. She left her literary manuscripts to Sir Walter Scott who edited her collected works which were published in three volumes with a memoir in 1810

Reference: Aristocratic Women: the social, political and cultural history of rich and powerful women. A Listing and Guide to Part 2 of the Microfilm Collection (Adam Matthew Publications, 1998).

From the guide to the Anna Seward Letters, 1764-1804, (University of Birmingham Information Services, Special Collections Department)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Cary, Henry Francis, 1772-1844. Letters to Anna Seward, 1788-1847 (inclusive), 1788-1796 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Greene, Joseph, 1712-1790,. Autograph letters signed from Joseph Greene to Richard Greene, apothecary and surgeon of Lichfield, his brother [manuscript], 1746, 1773-1787. Folger Shakespeare Library
creatorOf Seward, Anna, 1742-1809. 20 letters to Penelope Sophia (Weston) Pennington; Lichfield, 1782-1806. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Correspondence of Archibald Constable, with some related material, ca. 1788-1827 GB 206 Leeds University Library
creatorOf Scott, Walter, Sir, 1771-1832. Autograph letter signed : Edinburgh, to Anna Seward, 1809 Mar. 19. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Seward, Anna, 1742-1809. Anna Seward poems, 1805. Litchfield Historical Society
creatorOf Woolley, Eliza, fl. 1806. Eliza Woolley's book : manuscript, 1806 Dec. Houghton Library
creatorOf Seward, Anna, 1742-1809. Verses and prose, 1781 Feb-1782 August, [n.p.]. Dartmouth College Library
creatorOf Anna Seward Letters, 1764-1804 University of Birmingham Information Services, Special Collections Department
referencedIn Donald Hyde and Mary Hyde Eccles Autograph Collection, 1505-1957 (inclusive), 1702-1854 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn More, Hannah, 1745-1833,. Autograph letter signed from Hannah More, Barley Wood, to Mrs. Garrick [manuscript], 1812 March 26. Folger Shakespeare Library
creatorOf Seward, Anna, 1742-1809. Autograph letter signed : to Dr. Hussey, March 15. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Seward, Anna, 1742-1809. Letter : to William Hayley : 1785 Dec. 27. Houghton Library
referencedIn Johnsoniana; or, Supplement to Boswell: being anecdotes and sayings of Dr. Johnson, extra-illustrated, 1738-1840 (inclusive), 1784-1837 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Seward, Anna, 1742-1809,. Autograph letter signed from Anna Seward, Lichfield, to Adam Walker, London [manuscript], 1784 January 21. Folger Shakespeare Library
creatorOf Seward, Anna, 1742-1809. Autograph letter signed, 1806 Mar. 15. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Papers, 1781-1807. Houghton Library
creatorOf Sabin, Frank T. Autograph letters of Major André and his captors. Boston Athenaeum
creatorOf Seward, Anna, 1742-1809. Conclusion of an autograph letter signed with postscript : Lichfield, to Robert Fellowes, [1804] Feb. 16. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Boswell's Life of Johnson : including Boswell's Journal of a tour to the Hebrides and Johnson's Diary of a journey into North Wales, edited by George Birkbeck Hill, extra-illustrated, 1464-1897 (inclusive), 1724-1874 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Anna Seward Poems 1781-[1793] Seward, Anna Poems. William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Seward, Anna, 1742-1809. Papers, 1781-1807. Houghton Library
creatorOf Seward, Anna, 1742-1809,. Autograph letter signed from Anna Seward, Lichfield, to Charles Simpson, Lenthenchard, Okehampton, Devon [manuscript], 1800 August 18. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Binns, Thomas. Miscellaneous manuscripts [Commonplace book]; Liverpool, 1797. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Seward, Anna, 1742-1809. Autograph letter signed : Lichfield, Staffs., to an unidentified woman, 1896 May 7. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Amy Lowell autograph collection, 1523-1930. Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron, 1800-1859. Autograph manuscript letter (signed) to [Mary] Berry; Bourges, 1843 September 1. Houghton Library
referencedIn British Women Romantic Poets, 1789-1832, 1997-open UC Davis Digital Library Program. Dept. of Preservation
referencedIn Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874. Correspondence, 1829-1874 Houghton Library
referencedIn [Commonplace book], [1805 or later]. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Seward, Anna, 1742-1809. Monody on Major Andre [manuscript], after 1781 / by Miss Seward. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Green, Thomas, 1769-1825. Thomas Green letters to John Mitford, 1812 Jan 17 - 1824 Dec 17. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Seward, Anna, 1742-1809. Autograph letter signed : to Mrs. Dove, [n.d.]. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Papers, 1781-1807. Houghton Library
creatorOf Seward, Anna, 1742-1809. Letter : to John Nichols : 1785 Oct. 12. Houghton Library
creatorOf Bridgeman, Lady. Poetical miscellany [manuscript], 1786-1798. Folger Shakespeare Library
creatorOf Seward, Anna, 1742-1809. To my fellow sponsor, Mrs. King : Kidderminster : autograph poem signed, 1791 Sept. 28. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Boswell Collection, 1428-1936, 1700-1795 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Jerningham, Mr. (Edward), 1737?-1812. Papers of Edward Jerningham, 1760-1812. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
referencedIn Letters of Samuel Johnson, LL.D., collected and edited by George Birkbeck Hill, extra-illustrated, 1413-1900 (inclusive), 1775-1839 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Seward, Anna, 1742-1809. Autograph letters signed (4) : Lichfield, to Dr. Hussey, 1803 Dec. 12-1809 Mar. 20. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Constable, Archibald, 1774-1827. Correspondence of Archibald Constable, with some related material. Brotherton Library, University of Leeds
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith André, John, 1751-1780 person
correspondedWith Anna Seward person
associatedWith Anne MacVicar Grant person
associatedWith Binns, Thomas. person
associatedWith Boswell, James, 1740-1795. person
associatedWith British Women Romantic Poets Project, University Library, University of California, Davis. corporateBody
associatedWith Cary, Henry Francis, 1772-1844. person
associatedWith Catonis, Porcia, ca. 70-43 or 2 B.C. person
associatedWith Charles James Fox person
correspondedWith Clarke-Whitfeld, John, 1770-1836 person
associatedWith Constable, Archibald, 1774-1827. person
associatedWith Cowper, William, 1731-1800 person
correspondedWith Croker, John Wilson, 1780-1857 person
associatedWith Darwin, Erasmus, 1731-1802 person
associatedWith Dove, Mrs, person
associatedWith Dowdeswell Thomas Colonel person
associatedWith Dryden, John, 1631-1700 person
associatedWith Fellowes, Robert, 1771-1847, person
associatedWith Gray, Thomas, 1716-1771. person
associatedWith Greene, Joseph, 1712-1790, person
associatedWith Green, Thomas, 1769-1825. person
associatedWith Hayley, William, 1745-1820, person
associatedWith Hester Lynch Piozzi. person
associatedWith Hoole, John, 1727-1803. person
associatedWith Hussey, Dr, person
correspondedWith Jackson, Mrs., recipient. person
associatedWith James Boswell person
associatedWith Jerningham, Mr. (Edward), 1737?-1812. person
associatedWith John Saville person
associatedWith Johnson, Samuel, 1709-1784. person
associatedWith Joseph Addison. person
correspondedWith Longsdon, William, recipient. person
correspondedWith Lowell, Amy, 1874-1925 person
associatedWith Lyttelton, George Lyttelton, Baron, 1709-1773. person
associatedWith Milton, John, 1608-1674 person
associatedWith More, Hannah, 1745-1833, person
associatedWith Nichols, John, 1745-1826, person
correspondedWith Parry, Caleb Hillier, 1755-1822 person
associatedWith Pennington, Penelope Sophia Weston, 1752?-1827. person
correspondedWith Polwhele, Richard, 1760-1838 person
associatedWith Ray, Gordon Norton, 1915- person
associatedWith Riley, Sarah. person
correspondedWith Romney, George, 1734-1802 person
associatedWith Samuel Jackson Pratt person
associatedWith Samuel Johnson person
associatedWith Scott, John, 1731-1783. person
associatedWith Scott, Walter, Sir, 1771-1832. person
correspondedWith Seward, Anna, 1742-1809 person
associatedWith Seward Anna Writer person
correspondedWith Seward, Thomas person
associatedWith Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. person
correspondedWith Simpson, Charles, fl. 1800 person
associatedWith Sir Brooke Boothby person
associatedWith Sir Walter Scott person
correspondedWith St. George, Richard St. George Mansergh, Sir, d. 1798 person
correspondedWith Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874 person
associatedWith Susanna Boothby person
associatedWith Sylvester, Josuah, 1563-1618 person
associatedWith Thomas Sedgwick Whalley. person
associatedWith Thomas Seward. person
correspondedWith Walker, A. (Adam), 1730 or 31-1821 person
correspondedWith Warner, John, 1736-1800 person
associatedWith Whately, Anne, d. 1793 person
associatedWith William Hayley person
associatedWith William Pitt person
associatedWith Woolley, Eliza, fl. 1806. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Great Britain
Tweed River (Scotland and England)
Lichfield (England)
Subject
Authors, English
Death
English poetry
English poetry Women authors
Poets, English
Female friendship
Napoleonic Wars, 1800-1815
Poetry
Political science Great Britain
Portia (Fictitious character)
Social networks England
Sonnets, English
Women
Women
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1742-12-12

Death 1809-03-25

Britons

English

Information

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