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Lucy Aikin

October 21, 2023

Lucy Aikin (6 November 1781 – 29 January 1864) was an English historical writer, biographer and correspondent. She also published under pseudonyms such as Mary Godolphin. Her literary-minded family included her aunt Anna Laetitia Barbauld, a writer of poetry, essays and children's books.

Lucy Aikin
Born(1781-11-06)6 November 1781
Warrington, England
Died29 January 1864(1864-01-29) (aged 82)
Hampstead, England
Pen nameMary Godolphin; I.F.M.; J.F.W.
Occupationauthor
LanguageEnglish, French
NationalityBritish
RelativesDr John Aikin, John Aikin, Anna Laetitia Barbauld, Charles Rochemont, Anna Letitia Le Breton

Early life Edit

Aikin was born at Warrington, then Lancashire, in 1781. She was the fourth child of a physician, John Aikin (1747–1822), and his wife, Martha Jennings (died 1830).[1] Theirs was a literary family of prominent Unitarians. Lucy's father was also a historian, and her grandfather, likewise called John Aikin (1713–1780), was a Unitarian scholar and theological tutor, closely associated with Warrington Academy. Lucy's aunt was Anna Laetitia Barbauld, a prominent children's writer, while her brother Arthur Aikin (1773–1854) was a chemist, mineralogist and scientific writer, and their brother Charles Rochemont (1775–1847) was adopted by Barbauld and became a doctor and chemist. Another brother, the architect Edmund Aikin (1780–1820), wrote influential works about architecture.[1]

Lucy Aikin lived with her parents in Great Yarmouth and Stoke Newington until the death of her father in 1822, when she moved to Hampstead. There, apart from a short interval in Wimbledon, she spent the remainder of her life.

She briefly attended a day school in Yarmouth, but was largely educated privately by her father and her aunt, an early critic of the education system. She "read widely in English, French, Italian, and Latin literature and history,"[1] began publishing for magazines at the age of 17, and was soon assisting her father as an editor of his writings.[2]

Works Edit

Aikin's works delve into the artistic, social, and literary sides of her period, rather than its religious, military or parliamentary history.[1]

In 1810 appeared her first considerable work, Epistles on Women, Exemplifying their Character and Condition in Various Ages and Nations, with Miscellaneous Poems, and in 1814 her only work of fiction, entitled Lorimer, a Tale. Those were just early efforts, but her reputation was gained wholly by historical works published between 1818 and 1843: Memoirs of the Court of Queen Elizabeth (1818); Memoirs of the Court of James I. (1822); Memoirs of the Court of Charles I. (1833); and the Life of Addison (1843). The last of these, containing many letters of Addison never before published, was the subject of an essay by Macaulay, who while praising Aikin's other works, and especially her Memoirs of the Court of James I, observed that she was "far more at home among the ruffs and peaked beards of Theobalds than among the steenkirks and flowing periwigs which surrounded Queen Anne's tea table at Hampton."[3]

Of her other memoirs, she herself wrote on completing her Charles I, "I am resolved against proceeding farther with English sovereigns. Charles II is no theme for me: it would make me condemn my species." Aikin also wrote a life of her father, and of her aunt, Mrs Barbauld, and many minor pieces.

Like Barbauld, Aikin was interested in early education, and as such published several works to assist young readers: Poetry for Children: Consisting of Short Pieces to be Committed to Memory (1801), Juvenile Correspondence or Letters, Designed as Examples of the Epistolary Style, for Children of Both Sexes (1811), An English Lesson Book, for the Junior Classes (1828), and The Acts of Life: of Providing Food, of Providing Clothing, of Providing Shelter (1858). Under the pseudonym Mary Godolphin, Aikin also contributed as an editor to versions of Pilgrim's Progress, Robinson Crusoe, Swiss Family Robinson, Aesop's Fables, Evenings at Home (by her father and aunt), and Sandford and Merton written "in Words of One Syllable".

Letters and translations Edit

Aikin's conversational powers were remarkable, and she was a graceful and graphic letter writer. Her letters to her relatives and intimate friends showed her relish for society, and were full of wit and lively anecdotes of distinguished literary persons. She maintained for almost 16 years (1826–1842) a graver correspondence with the Rev. Dr William Ellery Channing, an American Unitarian theologian in Boston, on religion, philosophy, politics, and literature.[3]

Aikin's letters were known for criticizing leaders on both sides of the Atlantic, and for criticisms of various authors, male and female. Her letters also showed an appreciation for classic and contemporary literature.[1]

Aikin also translated French texts: Louis Francois Jauffret's The Travels of Rolando (publication around 1804), and Jean Gaspard Hess's The Life of Ulrich Zwingli (1812), on a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland.

Personal life Edit

Aikin never married or had children.[1] She lived her whole life with family, notably her parents and her niece, although she did briefly live with her nephew in London.[1]

Politically Aikin was a staunch feminist, and religiously she was a Unitarian.

Death and legacy Edit

Lucy Aikin died of influenza in 1864 in Hampstead, then just north of London, where she had lived for 40 years. At the time of her death, Aikin had less than €9,000. Her niece Anna Letitia Le Breton took over her literary legacy. Aikin's Memoirs, Miscellanies, and Letters were published in 1864, as was an edited version of her correspondence with Channing ten years later, in 1874 (London and Edinburgh: Williams and Norgate).

Selected works Edit

  • 1801: Poetry for Children: Consisting of Short Pieces to be Committed to Memory
  • 1804: Louis Francois Jauffret’s The Travels of Rolando (translation from French)
  • 1810: Epistles on Women, Exemplifying their Character and Condition in Various Ages and Nations, with Miscellaneous Poems
  • 1811: Juvenile Correspondence or Letters, Designed as Examples of the Epistolary Style, for Children of Both Sexes
  • 1812: Jean Gaspard Hess’s The Life of Ulrich Zwingli (translation from French)
  • 1814: Lorimer, a Tale
  • 1818: Memoirs of the Court of Queen Elizabeth, published in several later editions
  • 1822: Memoirs of the Court of James I
  • 1823: Memoir of John Aikin, MD
  • 1825: The Works of Anna Laetita Barbauld
  • 1827: The Life of Anne Boleyn
  • 1828: An English Lesson Book, for the Junior Classes
  • 1833: Memoirs of the Court of Charles I
  • 1843: The Life of Joseph Addison
  • 1858: The Acts of Life: of Providing Food, of Providing Clothing, of Providing Shelter
  • 1858: Holiday Stories for Young Readers

Works attributed to her as Mary Godolphin Edit

References Edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Barbara Brandon Schnorrenberg, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004 Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  2. ^ Morley & Edmunds 1912, p. 941.
  3. ^ a b Stephen & Lee 1885, pp. 186–87.

Further reading Edit

  • Memoir of John Aikin, with selections of his miscellaneous pieces (1823); and the Memoirs, Miscellanies and Letters of Lucy Aikin (1864), including her correspondence (1826–1842) with William Ellery Channing, edited by P. H. Le Breton
  • Linda J. Turzynski, "Lucy Aikin." Dictionary of Literary Biography: British Children's Writers, 1800–1880. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Inc, 1996
  • "Aikin, John" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 737; see para 2. His daughter, Lucy Aikin (1781–1864), born at Warrington.....
  •   This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Cousin, John William (1910). A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London: J. M. Dent & Sons – via Wikisource.
  • Browning, D. C.; Cousin, John W. (1969). Everyman's Dictionary of Literary Biography. London: J. M. Dent & Sons.

Attribution Edit

  •   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Morley, Henry; Edmunds, Edward William (1912). A First Sketch of English Literature (Public domain ed.). Cassell, Limited. p. 941.
  •   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Stephen, Sir Leslie; Lee, Sir Sidney (1885). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 1 (Public domain ed.). Smith, Elder, & Company.
  • Henry Gardiner Adams, ed. (1857). "Aikin, Lucy". A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography: 23–24. Wikidata Q115453307.

External links Edit

 
Wikisource has original works by or about:
Lucy Aikin

October 21, 2023
lucy, aikin, november, 1781, january, 1864, english, historical, writer, biographer, correspondent, also, published, under, pseudonyms, such, mary, godolphin, literary, minded, family, included, aunt, anna, laetitia, barbauld, writer, poetry, essays, children,. Lucy Aikin 6 November 1781 29 January 1864 was an English historical writer biographer and correspondent She also published under pseudonyms such as Mary Godolphin Her literary minded family included her aunt Anna Laetitia Barbauld a writer of poetry essays and children s books Lucy AikinBorn 1781 11 06 6 November 1781Warrington EnglandDied29 January 1864 1864 01 29 aged 82 Hampstead EnglandPen nameMary Godolphin I F M J F W OccupationauthorLanguageEnglish FrenchNationalityBritishRelativesDr John Aikin John Aikin Anna Laetitia Barbauld Charles Rochemont Anna Letitia Le Breton Contents 1 Early life 2 Works 3 Letters and translations 4 Personal life 5 Death and legacy 6 Selected works 6 1 Works attributed to her as Mary Godolphin 7 References 7 1 Further reading 7 2 Attribution 8 External linksEarly life EditAikin was born at Warrington then Lancashire in 1781 She was the fourth child of a physician John Aikin 1747 1822 and his wife Martha Jennings died 1830 1 Theirs was a literary family of prominent Unitarians Lucy s father was also a historian and her grandfather likewise called John Aikin 1713 1780 was a Unitarian scholar and theological tutor closely associated with Warrington Academy Lucy s aunt was Anna Laetitia Barbauld a prominent children s writer while her brother Arthur Aikin 1773 1854 was a chemist mineralogist and scientific writer and their brother Charles Rochemont 1775 1847 was adopted by Barbauld and became a doctor and chemist Another brother the architect Edmund Aikin 1780 1820 wrote influential works about architecture 1 Lucy Aikin lived with her parents in Great Yarmouth and Stoke Newington until the death of her father in 1822 when she moved to Hampstead There apart from a short interval in Wimbledon she spent the remainder of her life She briefly attended a day school in Yarmouth but was largely educated privately by her father and her aunt an early critic of the education system She read widely in English French Italian and Latin literature and history 1 began publishing for magazines at the age of 17 and was soon assisting her father as an editor of his writings 2 Works EditAikin s works delve into the artistic social and literary sides of her period rather than its religious military or parliamentary history 1 In 1810 appeared her first considerable work Epistles on Women Exemplifying their Character and Condition in Various Ages and Nations with Miscellaneous Poems and in 1814 her only work of fiction entitled Lorimer a Tale Those were just early efforts but her reputation was gained wholly by historical works published between 1818 and 1843 Memoirs of the Court of Queen Elizabeth 1818 Memoirs of the Court of James I 1822 Memoirs of the Court of Charles I 1833 and the Life of Addison 1843 The last of these containing many letters of Addison never before published was the subject of an essay by Macaulay who while praising Aikin s other works and especially her Memoirs of the Court of James I observed that she was far more at home among the ruffs and peaked beards of Theobalds than among the steenkirks and flowing periwigs which surrounded Queen Anne s tea table at Hampton 3 Of her other memoirs she herself wrote on completing her Charles I I am resolved against proceeding farther with English sovereigns Charles II is no theme for me it would make me condemn my species Aikin also wrote a life of her father and of her aunt Mrs Barbauld and many minor pieces Like Barbauld Aikin was interested in early education and as such published several works to assist young readers Poetry for Children Consisting of Short Pieces to be Committed to Memory 1801 Juvenile Correspondence or Letters Designed as Examples of the Epistolary Style for Children of Both Sexes 1811 An English Lesson Book for the Junior Classes 1828 and The Acts of Life of Providing Food of Providing Clothing of Providing Shelter 1858 Under the pseudonym Mary Godolphin Aikin also contributed as an editor to versions of Pilgrim s Progress Robinson Crusoe Swiss Family Robinson Aesop s Fables Evenings at Home by her father and aunt and Sandford and Merton written in Words of One Syllable Letters and translations EditAikin s conversational powers were remarkable and she was a graceful and graphic letter writer Her letters to her relatives and intimate friends showed her relish for society and were full of wit and lively anecdotes of distinguished literary persons She maintained for almost 16 years 1826 1842 a graver correspondence with the Rev Dr William Ellery Channing an American Unitarian theologian in Boston on religion philosophy politics and literature 3 Aikin s letters were known for criticizing leaders on both sides of the Atlantic and for criticisms of various authors male and female Her letters also showed an appreciation for classic and contemporary literature 1 Aikin also translated French texts Louis Francois Jauffret s The Travels of Rolando publication around 1804 and Jean Gaspard Hess s The Life of Ulrich Zwingli 1812 on a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland Personal life EditAikin never married or had children 1 She lived her whole life with family notably her parents and her niece although she did briefly live with her nephew in London 1 Politically Aikin was a staunch feminist and religiously she was a Unitarian Death and legacy EditLucy Aikin died of influenza in 1864 in Hampstead then just north of London where she had lived for 40 years At the time of her death Aikin had less than 9 000 Her niece Anna Letitia Le Breton took over her literary legacy Aikin s Memoirs Miscellanies and Letters were published in 1864 as was an edited version of her correspondence with Channing ten years later in 1874 London and Edinburgh Williams and Norgate Selected works Edit1801 Poetry for Children Consisting of Short Pieces to be Committed to Memory 1804 Louis Francois Jauffret s The Travels of Rolando translation from French 1810 Epistles on Women Exemplifying their Character and Condition in Various Ages and Nations with Miscellaneous Poems 1811 Juvenile Correspondence or Letters Designed as Examples of the Epistolary Style for Children of Both Sexes 1812 Jean Gaspard Hess s The Life of Ulrich Zwingli translation from French 1814 Lorimer a Tale 1818 Memoirs of the Court of Queen Elizabeth published in several later editions 1822 Memoirs of the Court of James I 1823 Memoir of John Aikin MD 1825 The Works of Anna Laetita Barbauld 1827 The Life of Anne Boleyn 1828 An English Lesson Book for the Junior Classes 1833 Memoirs of the Court of Charles I 1843 The Life of Joseph Addison 1858 The Acts of Life of Providing Food of Providing Clothing of Providing Shelter 1858 Holiday Stories for Young ReadersWorks attributed to her as Mary Godolphin Edit 1867 Robinson Crusoe In Words of One Syllable 1868 Sandford and Merton In Words of One Syllable 1868 An Evening at Home In Words of One Syllable 1869 Aesop s Fables In Words of One Syllable 1869 The Pilgrim s Progress In Words of One Syllable 1869 The Swiss Family Robinson In Words of One Syllable 1870 The One Syllable Sunday BookReferences Edit a b c d e f g Barbara Brandon Schnorrenberg Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004 Retrieved 6 November 2018 Morley amp Edmunds 1912 p 941 a b Stephen amp Lee 1885 pp 186 87 Further reading Edit Memoir of John Aikin with selections of his miscellaneous pieces 1823 and the Memoirs Miscellanies and Letters of Lucy Aikin 1864 including her correspondence 1826 1842 with William Ellery Channing edited by P H Le Breton Linda J Turzynski Lucy Aikin Dictionary of Literary Biography British Children s Writers 1800 1880 Detroit MI Gale Research Inc 1996 Aikin John Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 1 11th ed 1911 p 737 see para 2 His daughter Lucy Aikin 1781 1864 born at Warrington nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Cousin John William 1910 A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature London J M Dent amp Sons via Wikisource Browning D C Cousin John W 1969 Everyman s Dictionary of Literary Biography London J M Dent amp Sons Attribution Edit nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Morley Henry Edmunds Edward William 1912 A First Sketch of English Literature Public domain ed Cassell Limited p 941 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Stephen Sir Leslie Lee Sir Sidney 1885 Dictionary of National Biography Vol 1 Public domain ed Smith Elder amp Company Henry Gardiner Adams ed 1857 Aikin Lucy A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography 23 24 Wikidata Q115453307 External links Edit nbsp Wikisource has original works by or about Lucy Aikin Works by Lucy Aikin at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Lucy Aikin at Internet Archive Works by or about Mary Godolphin at Internet Archive Works by Lucy Aikin at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp Mary Godolphin at Many Books Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lucy Aikin amp oldid 1176619126, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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