Judith Madan (néeCowper; 26 August 1702 – 7 December 1781) was an English poet. She was the granddaughter of the diarist Sarah Cowper and aunt of the poet William Cowper.[2] She was a correspondent, admirer and protégé of Alexander Pope prior to her marriage, and she composed an admired early-gothic work, Abelard to Eloisa, as a response to Pope's Eloisa to Abelard.
While still Judith Cowper she met Alexander Pope sometime after the 1717 publication of his Eloisa to Abelard. She wrote Abelard to Eloisa, a prominent example of the many literary responses to Pope's work, before she was 20. It was the first English adaptation of the story to feature Abelard as the speaker.[3] Her original characterisation of Abelard prefigures the Romantic era hero: Laura Alexander, the academic and fellow of the American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies, says of Cowper's creation that, "in her Abelard [is] an original pathos figure that anticipates the "man of feeling" in later eighteenth-century literature of sensibility."[4] Cowper and Pope corresponded until at least 1723 and in his letters he took an interest in her poetry, sometimes setting her literary projects, apparently as a salve or preventive to the depression from which Cowper periodically suffered. Cowper seems to have written little following her marriage.[1][3]
On 7 December 1723 Cowper married Colonel Martin Madan,[1] groom of the bedchamber to Frederick, Prince of Wales, and MP for Wootton Basset. He died at Bath on 4 March 1756, aged 53. Their sons included Rev. Martin Madan, author of Thelyphthora a defence of polygamy, and the Right Rev. Spencer Madan, bishop successively of Bristol and Peterborough. Their elder daughter, Frances Maria Cowper, married William Cowper of Hertingfordbury, her first cousin; a volume of Frances Maria Cowper's religious verse, attributed to "a lady" and revised by her famous poet cousin, was published in 1792.[5][6] Their younger daughter, Penelope (died 22 December 1805), became the wife of General Sir Alexander Maitland (1728–1820). Judith was the aunt of William Cowper the English poet and hymnodist, and grandmother of General Frederick Maitland.
She died at Stafford Row, Westminster on 7 December 1781.[1]
Worksedit
Abelard to Eloisa, written 1720, published in 1728 in William Pattison's Poetical Works and thereby misattributed to him initially
The Progress of Poetry (1721)
Verses on the Death of Mr. Hughes, works in honour of the poet John Hughes, written 1719-1730
Referencesedit
^ abcdefRumbold, Valerie. "Madan [née Cowper], Judith". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/60780. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.) Subscription or participating public library (worldwide) membership required.
^ abcLemmings, David (2004). "Cowper, Spencer (1670-1728)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/6507.
^ abAlexander, Laura (18 March 2019). "Castrated Love: Tragic Desire in Alexander Pope and Judith Cowper". Fatal Attractions, Abjection, and the Self in Literature from the Restoration to the Romantics. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 29–46. ISBN978-1-5275-3152-9.
^Alexander, Laura (17 August 2016). "Rewriting Pope's Eloisa to Abelard: Judith Cowper's Abelard to Eloisa and Early Gothic Sensibility". English Studies. 97 (6): 608–617. doi:10.1080/0013838X.2016.1183952. S2CID 164614814.
^"COWPER, William (1721-69), of Hertingfordbury Park, Herts". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
^Cowper, Frances Maria (14 January 2019). "Original poems, on various occasions, by a lady [F.M. Cowper]. Revised by W. Cowper". Retrieved 14 January 2019 – via Google Books.
Whitwell Elwin, Works of Pope, ed. Elwin and Courthope (1871–1889)
External linksedit
Judith Madan at the Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive (ECPA)
December 15, 2023
judith, madan, née, cowper, august, 1702, december, 1781, english, poet, granddaughter, diarist, sarah, cowper, aunt, poet, william, cowper, correspondent, admirer, protégé, alexander, pope, prior, marriage, composed, admired, early, gothic, work, abelard, elo. Judith Madan nee Cowper 26 August 1702 7 December 1781 was an English poet She was the granddaughter of the diarist Sarah Cowper and aunt of the poet William Cowper 2 She was a correspondent admirer and protege of Alexander Pope prior to her marriage and she composed an admired early gothic work Abelard to Eloisa as a response to Pope s Eloisa to Abelard Judith MadanBorn26 August 1702Died7 December 1781GenrepoetrySpouseMartin MadanChildren9 including Martin Madan Spencer Madan and Frances Maria Cowper 1 ParentsSpencer Cowper and Pennington Goodere 1 Contents 1 Life and career 2 Works 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksLife and career editShe was the only daughter of Spencer Cowper lawyer judge Justice of the Common Pleas and member of Parliament 2 and his wife Pennington nee Goodere died 1727 2 and is thought to have been born at the family seat Hertingfordbury Park Hertfordshire England She began writing poetry as a teenager 1 While still Judith Cowper she met Alexander Pope sometime after the 1717 publication of his Eloisa to Abelard She wrote Abelard to Eloisa a prominent example of the many literary responses to Pope s work before she was 20 It was the first English adaptation of the story to feature Abelard as the speaker 3 Her original characterisation of Abelard prefigures the Romantic era hero Laura Alexander the academic and fellow of the American Society for Eighteenth Century Studies says of Cowper s creation that in her Abelard is an original pathos figure that anticipates the man of feeling in later eighteenth century literature of sensibility 4 Cowper and Pope corresponded until at least 1723 and in his letters he took an interest in her poetry sometimes setting her literary projects apparently as a salve or preventive to the depression from which Cowper periodically suffered Cowper seems to have written little following her marriage 1 3 On 7 December 1723 Cowper married Colonel Martin Madan 1 groom of the bedchamber to Frederick Prince of Wales and MP for Wootton Basset He died at Bath on 4 March 1756 aged 53 Their sons included Rev Martin Madan author of Thelyphthora a defence of polygamy and the Right Rev Spencer Madan bishop successively of Bristol and Peterborough Their elder daughter Frances Maria Cowper married William Cowper of Hertingfordbury her first cousin a volume of Frances Maria Cowper s religious verse attributed to a lady and revised by her famous poet cousin was published in 1792 5 6 Their younger daughter Penelope died 22 December 1805 became the wife of General Sir Alexander Maitland 1728 1820 Judith was the aunt of William Cowper the English poet and hymnodist and grandmother of General Frederick Maitland She died at Stafford Row Westminster on 7 December 1781 1 Works editAbelard to Eloisa written 1720 published in 1728 in William Pattison s Poetical Works and thereby misattributed to him initially The Progress of Poetry 1721 Verses on the Death of Mr Hughes works in honour of the poet John Hughes written 1719 1730References edit a b c d e f Rumbold Valerie Madan nee Cowper Judith Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 60780 Subscription or UK public library membership required Subscription or participating public library worldwide membership required a b c Lemmings David 2004 Cowper Spencer 1670 1728 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed doi 10 1093 ref odnb 6507 a b Alexander Laura 18 March 2019 Castrated Love Tragic Desire in Alexander Pope and Judith Cowper Fatal Attractions Abjection and the Self in Literature from the Restoration to the Romantics Newcastle upon Tyne Cambridge Scholars Publishing pp 29 46 ISBN 978 1 5275 3152 9 Alexander Laura 17 August 2016 Rewriting Pope s Eloisa to Abelard Judith Cowper s Abelard to Eloisa and Early Gothic Sensibility English Studies 97 6 608 617 doi 10 1080 0013838X 2016 1183952 S2CID 164614814 COWPER William 1721 69 of Hertingfordbury Park Herts History of Parliament Online Retrieved 14 January 2019 Cowper Frances Maria 14 January 2019 Original poems on various occasions by a lady F M Cowper Revised by W Cowper Retrieved 14 January 2019 via Google Books Further reading editWilliam Prideaux Courtney Dodsley s Collection of Poetry 1910 Whitwell Elwin Works of Pope ed Elwin and Courthope 1871 1889 External links editJudith Madan at the Eighteenth Century Poetry Archive ECPA Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Judith Madan amp oldid 1165263391, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
