Hester Chapone

Hester Chapone

Hester Chapone (Mulso) (1727–1801), writer of advice books for women, was the daughter of agentleman of Northamptonshire. She was married to a solicitor, who died a fewmonths afterwards, and then took up a career as a writer. Self-educated, she was one of the learned ladies who gathered around
Elizabeth Montagu, and was the author of "Letters on the Improvement of the Mind" and "Miscellanies".

The former was first written for her 15-year-old niece, in 1773, but by 1800 it had been through at least 16 editions. A further 12 editions appeared until 1829, at least one of them a French translation. They focused on encouraging rational understanding through the reading of the Bible, history and literature. The girl was also supposed to study book-keeping, household management and botany, geology, astronomy. Only sentimental novels were to be avoided.

Mary Wollstonecraft later singled it out as one of the few examples of the self-improvement genre deserving of praise.

(See Elizabeth Eger and Lucy Peltz, "Brilliant Women: 18th-Century Bluestockings", National Portrait Gallery London, 2008.)


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Hester Chapone — Page de titre de Letters on the Improvement of the Mind (1773) Hester Chapone (Mulso) (1727 1801), auteur de livres de conseils pour les femmes, est la fille d un gentleman du Northamptonshire. Elle épouse un avoué, qui meurt quelques mois plus… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Chapone, Hester (Mulso) — (1727 1801)    Miscellaneous writer, dau. of a gentleman of Northamptonshire, was m. to a solicitor, who d. a few months afterwards. She was one of the learned ladies who gathered round Mrs. Montague (q.v.), and was the author of Letters on the… …   Short biographical dictionary of English literature

  • Thoughts on the Education of Daughters — Pensées sur l éducation des filles  Ne doit pas être confondu avec Pensées sur l éducation …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Conduct book — Un conduct book (littéralement : « livre de conduite », ou « manuel de conduite ») est un genre littéraire anglais, très répandu à la fin du XVIIIe siècle et au début du XIXe siècle et dont le but est de former… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Mansfield Park — Page de titre de la seconde édition de Mansfield Park Auteur Jane Austen Genre …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Reflexiones sobre la educación de las hijas — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Primera página de la primera edición de Reflexiones sobre la educación de las hijas (1787). Reflexiones sobre la educación de las hijas: con reflexiones de la conducta femenina, en los más importantes deberes de la… …   Wikipedia Español

  • The Unsex'd Females — Infobox Book name = The Unsex d Females, a Poem image caption = Title page from the 1800 New York edition author = Richard Polwhele cover artist = country = Britain language = English subject = publisher =William Cobbett (orig. pub. Cadell and… …   Wikipedia

  • Esther (given name) — Infobox Given Name Revised name = Esther imagesize=200px caption=The Biblical Queen Esther depicted in a portrait by John Everett Millais. pronunciation= gender = Female meaning = star region = origin = related names = footnotes = Esther is a… …   Wikipedia

  • Mariage dans les romans de Jane Austen — Trois mariages concluent Emma : Jane Fairfax et Frank Churchill, Emma Woodhouse et Mr Knightley, Harriet Smith et Robert Martin (Chris Hammond, 1898). Le thème du mariage, thème central d Orgueil et Préjugés, est un thème majeur dans tous… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Thoughts on the Education of Daughters — Thoughts on the education of daughters: with reflections on female conduct, in the more important duties of life is the first published work of the British feminist Mary Wollstonecraft. Published in 1787 by her friend Joseph Johnson, Thoughts is… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”