fbpx
Wikipedia

Maria Susanna Cooper

April 11, 2024

Maria Susanna Cooper (née Bransby, 1737–1807) was an English novelist, children's author, and poet, best known for her epistolary novels. Her writing, didactic and conservative, focused on appropriate roles for daughters, wives, and mothers.[1]

Maria Susanna Cooper
BornMaria Susanna Bransby
(1737-08-20)20 August 1737
Shotesham, Norfolk, England
Died3 July 1807(1807-07-03) (aged 69)
Dursley, Gloucestershire, England
Pen name"A lady"; "the authoress of"
Occupationnovelist; poet
Years activec. 1750—1784
Notable workThe Exemplary Mother (1769)
SpouseSamuel Cooper
ChildrenRobert Bransby Cooper (son); Astley Cooper (son)
RelativesBransby Blake Cooper (grandchild)
 Literature portal

Life edit

 
Title page of Maria Susanna Cooper's Letters between Emilia and Harriet (Dublin 1762)

Maria Susanna was born 20 August 1737 in Shotesham, Norfolk, to James Bransby and Anna Maria Paston. She married Samuel Cooper in 1761 but although her husband was soon appointed rector at Yelverton, they remained in Shotesham for two decades. In 1781, the Cooper family moved to Great Yarmouth when Samuel Cooper was appointed curate there.

Over the course of her marriage, Cooper gave birth to ten children:

  • Robert Bransby Cooper (1762-1845)
  • Samuel Lovick Cooper (1763-1817)
  • William Howman Cooper (1764-1834)
  • Charlotte Maria Anna Inyon Cooper (1765-1786)
  • Marianne (Cooper) Spurgeon (c. 1765 -1789)
  • Astley Paston Cooper (1768-1841)
  • Anna Maria Cooper (1770-1770)
  • Margaret Bransby Cooper (1772- c. 1783)
  • Beauchamp Newton Cooper (1774-1802)
  • Anne Maria Inyon Cooper (1777-1793)

One daughter died in infancy and two others in childhood. A further three children died of tuberculosis between 1786 and 1802. The second child, Samuel Lovick Cooper, became a clergyman. A middle son, Astley Cooper, became a prominent English surgeon and anatomist. Astley Cooper in turn influenced his brother Samuel's son Bransby Blake Cooper to himself become a surgeon.[2]

Cooper's husband Samuel died in 1800. In 1806, Cooper went to live with her eldest son, politician Robert Bransby Cooper, in Dursley, Gloucestershire. She died there on 3 July 1807.[3]

Writing edit

 
Title page of Maria Susanna Cooper's Jane Shore to her friend: a poetical epistle (London 1776)

Cooper's earliest writing was in the form of children's books published with John Newbery, though details of these publications have been lost.[1]

She is best known for her epistolary novels, beginning with Letters between Emilia and Harriet (1762). Cooper's most famous work, The Exemplary Mother, or Letters between Mrs. Villars and her Family, was published in two volumes in 1769 and republished in a revised second edition in 1784.[3]

While Cooper has been described as "a well-to-do clergyman's wife"[4] rather than as a professional writer or a bluestocking, she did have some degree of connection to a larger literary community. Her name routinely appeared on the subscription lists of works of other novelists, for example, and novelist Elizabeth Bonhote was a longstanding and "valued friend"[5] who dedicated her Darnley Vale to Cooper in 1789.[1]

Cooper published two novels in 1775 — The Daughter (a heavily revised version of Letters between Emilia and Harriet)[1] and The History of Fanny Meadows — followed by Jane Shore to her Friend: A Poetic Epistle the following year. After her death in 1806, her son Robert Cooper, who was his mother's literary executor,[1] reissued her novels in revised editions. He also published two other works: a collection of short pieces previously published in periodicals, Moral Tales (1811), and a novel, The Wife, or, Caroline Herbert (1813).[3]

Cooper's early work was published anonymously, and even after her success, her books were still attributed to "the author of The Exemplary Mother", though she did begin to sign her introductions.[3] The practice of keeping ones authorship an open secret enabled women authors to maintain a reputation for modesty and was not unusual during this period.[6]

In his introduction to his mother's Moral Tales, Robert Bransby Cooper wrote, "The entertainment and instruction of her children, [and] a sense of duty ... were [her] principal motives." Cooper's novels were indeed heavily didactic, but they also attempted to represent genuine portrayals of realistic people.[3]

Works edit

  • Anonymous. Letters between Emilia and Harriet (London[7] and Dublin,[8] 1762).
  • Anonymous. The exemplary mother: or, letters between Mrs. Villars and her family. Published by a lady, from the originals in her possession. In two volumes (London[9] and Dublin,[10] 1769; 2nd ed. 1784[11]).
  • Anonymous. The daughter: or the history of Miss Emilia Royston, and Miss Harriet Ayres; in a series of letters. By the authoress of The exemplary mother. (London[12] and Dublin,[13] 1775).
  • Anonymous. The history of Fanny Meadows. In a series of letters. By the author of The exemplary mother. (London 1775;[14] Dublin 1776[15]).
  • Anonymous. Jane Shore to her friend: a poetical epistle. By the authoress of The exemplary mother, &c. (London, 1776).[16]
  • Anonymous. The Wife; or, Caroline Herbert. By the late author of the "Exemplary Mother." (London, 1813).[17]

Etexts edit

  • Letters Between Emilia and Harriet (1762) (Full text, Google; Full text, HathiTrust)
  • Jane Shore to Her Friend (1776) (Full text, Google)
  • The Wife (1813) (PDF, Chawton House)

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e "Maria Susanna Cooper (20 August 1737 - 03 July 1807)." Orlando: Women’s Writing in the British Isles from the Beginnings to the Present. Cambridge University Press. Accessed 2023-01-10.
  2. ^ "Cooper, Bransby Blake - Biographical entry - Plarr's Lives of the Fellows Online". livesonline.rcseng.ac.uk. Royal College of Surgeons of.
  3. ^ a b c d e Wood, Jeanne (2004). "Cooper, Maria Susanna". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/47163. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  4. ^ "Jean Marishall." Orlando: Women’s Writing in the British Isles from the Beginnings to the Present. Cambridge University Press. Accessed 2023-01-10.
  5. ^ Maria Susanna Cooper, Last Will and Testament. Accessed 2023-01-11.
  6. ^ Tompkins, J. M. S. The Popular Novel in England, 1770-1800. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1961, p. 223. (Full text, Internet Archive)
  7. ^ Cooper, Maria Susanna. Letters between Emilia and Harriet. The Women's Print History Project, 2019, title ID 5833. Accessed 2023-01-10.
  8. ^ Cooper, Maria Susanna. Letters between Emilia and Harriet. On a variety of familiar and interesting occasions. The Women's Print History Project, 2019, title ID 5862. Accessed 2023-01-10.
  9. ^ Cooper, Maria Susanna. The exemplary mother: or, letters between Mrs. Villars and her family. Published by a lady, from the originals in her possession. In two volumes. The Women's Print History Project, 2019, title ID 5864. Accessed 2023-01-10.
  10. ^ Cooper, Maria Susanna. The exemplary mother: or, letters between Mrs. Villars and her family. Published by a lady. From the originals in her possession. In two volumes. The Women's Print History Project, 2019, title ID 5877. Accessed 2023-01-10.
  11. ^ Cooper, Maria Susanna. The exemplary mother: or, letters between Mrs. Villars and her family. New edition. In two volumes. The Women's Print History Project, 2019, title ID 5874. Accessed 2023-01-10.
  12. ^ The daughter: or the history of Miss Emilia Royston, and Miss Harriet Ayres; in a series of letters. By the authoress of The exemplary mother. The Women's Print History Project, 2019, title ID 5834. Accessed 2023-01-10.
  13. ^ Cooper, Maria Susanna. The Daughter: or The History of Miss Emilia Royston, and Miss Harriet Ayres; in a series of letters. By the authoress of The Exemplary Mother. The Women's Print History Project, 2019, title ID 5859. Accessed 2023-01-10.
  14. ^ Cooper, Maria Susanna. The history of Fanny Meadows. In a series of letters. By the author of The exemplary mother. The Women's Print History Project, 2019, title ID 5863. Accessed 2023-01-10.
  15. ^ Cooper, Maria Susanna. The history of Fanny Meadows. In a series of letters. By the author of The exemplary mother. In two volumes. The Women's Print History Project, 2019, title ID 5855. Accessed 2023-01-10.
  16. ^ Cooper, Maria Susanna. Jane Shore to her friend: a poetical epistle. By the authoress of The exemplary mother, &c. The Women's Print History Project, 2019, title ID 5845. Accessed 2023-01-10.
  17. ^ Cooper, Maria Susanna. Wife; or, Caroline Herbert. By the late author of the "Exemplary Mother. The Women's Print History Project, 2019, title ID 8222. Accessed 2023-01-10.

External links edit

  • "Maria Susanna Cooper (20 August 1737 - 03 July 1807)." Orlando: Women’s Writing in the British Isles from the Beginnings to the Present. Cambridge University Press. Accessed 2023-01-10.
  • "Cooper, Maria Susanna." The Women's Print History Project, 2019, Person ID 1907. Accessed 2023-01-10.
  • Works by Maria Susanna Cooper at Open Library

April 11, 2024
maria, susanna, cooper, née, bransby, 1737, 1807, english, novelist, children, author, poet, best, known, epistolary, novels, writing, didactic, conservative, focused, appropriate, roles, daughters, wives, mothers, bornmaria, susanna, bransby, 1737, august, 17. Maria Susanna Cooper nee Bransby 1737 1807 was an English novelist children s author and poet best known for her epistolary novels Her writing didactic and conservative focused on appropriate roles for daughters wives and mothers 1 Maria Susanna CooperBornMaria Susanna Bransby 1737 08 20 20 August 1737Shotesham Norfolk EnglandDied3 July 1807 1807 07 03 aged 69 Dursley Gloucestershire EnglandPen name A lady the authoress of Occupationnovelist poetYears activec 1750 1784Notable workThe Exemplary Mother 1769 SpouseSamuel CooperChildrenRobert Bransby Cooper son Astley Cooper son RelativesBransby Blake Cooper grandchild Literature portal Contents 1 Life 2 Writing 3 Works 4 Etexts 5 References 6 External linksLife edit nbsp Title page of Maria Susanna Cooper s Letters between Emilia and Harriet Dublin 1762 Maria Susanna was born 20 August 1737 in Shotesham Norfolk to James Bransby and Anna Maria Paston She married Samuel Cooper in 1761 but although her husband was soon appointed rector at Yelverton they remained in Shotesham for two decades In 1781 the Cooper family moved to Great Yarmouth when Samuel Cooper was appointed curate there Over the course of her marriage Cooper gave birth to ten children Robert Bransby Cooper 1762 1845 Samuel Lovick Cooper 1763 1817 William Howman Cooper 1764 1834 Charlotte Maria Anna Inyon Cooper 1765 1786 Marianne Cooper Spurgeon c 1765 1789 Astley Paston Cooper 1768 1841 Anna Maria Cooper 1770 1770 Margaret Bransby Cooper 1772 c 1783 Beauchamp Newton Cooper 1774 1802 Anne Maria Inyon Cooper 1777 1793 One daughter died in infancy and two others in childhood A further three children died of tuberculosis between 1786 and 1802 The second child Samuel Lovick Cooper became a clergyman A middle son Astley Cooper became a prominent English surgeon and anatomist Astley Cooper in turn influenced his brother Samuel s son Bransby Blake Cooper to himself become a surgeon 2 Cooper s husband Samuel died in 1800 In 1806 Cooper went to live with her eldest son politician Robert Bransby Cooper in Dursley Gloucestershire She died there on 3 July 1807 3 Writing edit nbsp Title page of Maria Susanna Cooper s Jane Shore to her friend a poetical epistle London 1776 Cooper s earliest writing was in the form of children s books published with John Newbery though details of these publications have been lost 1 She is best known for her epistolary novels beginning with Letters between Emilia and Harriet 1762 Cooper s most famous work The Exemplary Mother or Letters between Mrs Villars and her Family was published in two volumes in 1769 and republished in a revised second edition in 1784 3 While Cooper has been described as a well to do clergyman s wife 4 rather than as a professional writer or a bluestocking she did have some degree of connection to a larger literary community Her name routinely appeared on the subscription lists of works of other novelists for example and novelist Elizabeth Bonhote was a longstanding and valued friend 5 who dedicated her Darnley Vale to Cooper in 1789 1 Cooper published two novels in 1775 The Daughter a heavily revised version of Letters between Emilia and Harriet 1 and The History of Fanny Meadows followed by Jane Shore to her Friend A Poetic Epistle the following year After her death in 1806 her son Robert Cooper who was his mother s literary executor 1 reissued her novels in revised editions He also published two other works a collection of short pieces previously published in periodicals Moral Tales 1811 and a novel The Wife or Caroline Herbert 1813 3 Cooper s early work was published anonymously and even after her success her books were still attributed to the author of The Exemplary Mother though she did begin to sign her introductions 3 The practice of keeping ones authorship an open secret enabled women authors to maintain a reputation for modesty and was not unusual during this period 6 In his introduction to his mother s Moral Tales Robert Bransby Cooper wrote The entertainment and instruction of her children and a sense of duty were her principal motives Cooper s novels were indeed heavily didactic but they also attempted to represent genuine portrayals of realistic people 3 Works editAnonymous Letters between Emilia and Harriet London 7 and Dublin 8 1762 Anonymous The exemplary mother or letters between Mrs Villars and her family Published by a lady from the originals in her possession In two volumes London 9 and Dublin 10 1769 2nd ed 1784 11 Anonymous The daughter or the history of Miss Emilia Royston and Miss Harriet Ayres in a series of letters By the authoress of The exemplary mother London 12 and Dublin 13 1775 Anonymous The history of Fanny Meadows In a series of letters By the author of The exemplary mother London 1775 14 Dublin 1776 15 Anonymous Jane Shore to her friend a poetical epistle By the authoress of The exemplary mother amp c London 1776 16 Anonymous The Wife or Caroline Herbert By the late author of the Exemplary Mother London 1813 17 Etexts editLetters Between Emilia and Harriet 1762 Full text Google Full text HathiTrust Jane Shore to Her Friend 1776 Full text Google The Wife 1813 PDF Chawton House References edit a b c d e Maria Susanna Cooper 20 August 1737 03 July 1807 Orlando Women s Writing in the British Isles from the Beginnings to the Present Cambridge University Press Accessed 2023 01 10 Cooper Bransby Blake Biographical entry Plarr s Lives of the Fellows Online livesonline rcseng ac uk Royal College of Surgeons of a b c d e Wood Jeanne 2004 Cooper Maria Susanna Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 47163 Subscription or UK public library membership required Jean Marishall Orlando Women s Writing in the British Isles from the Beginnings to the Present Cambridge University Press Accessed 2023 01 10 Maria Susanna Cooper Last Will and Testament Accessed 2023 01 11 Tompkins J M S The Popular Novel in England 1770 1800 Lincoln University of Nebraska Press 1961 p 223 Full text Internet Archive Cooper Maria Susanna Letters between Emilia and Harriet The Women s Print History Project 2019 title ID 5833 Accessed 2023 01 10 Cooper Maria Susanna Letters between Emilia and Harriet On a variety of familiar and interesting occasions The Women s Print History Project 2019 title ID 5862 Accessed 2023 01 10 Cooper Maria Susanna The exemplary mother or letters between Mrs Villars and her family Published by a lady from the originals in her possession In two volumes The Women s Print History Project 2019 title ID 5864 Accessed 2023 01 10 Cooper Maria Susanna The exemplary mother or letters between Mrs Villars and her family Published by a lady From the originals in her possession In two volumes The Women s Print History Project 2019 title ID 5877 Accessed 2023 01 10 Cooper Maria Susanna The exemplary mother or letters between Mrs Villars and her family New edition In two volumes The Women s Print History Project 2019 title ID 5874 Accessed 2023 01 10 The daughter or the history of Miss Emilia Royston and Miss Harriet Ayres in a series of letters By the authoress of The exemplary mother The Women s Print History Project 2019 title ID 5834 Accessed 2023 01 10 Cooper Maria Susanna The Daughter or The History of Miss Emilia Royston and Miss Harriet Ayres in a series of letters By the authoress of The Exemplary Mother The Women s Print History Project 2019 title ID 5859 Accessed 2023 01 10 Cooper Maria Susanna The history of Fanny Meadows In a series of letters By the author of The exemplary mother The Women s Print History Project 2019 title ID 5863 Accessed 2023 01 10 Cooper Maria Susanna The history of Fanny Meadows In a series of letters By the author of The exemplary mother In two volumes The Women s Print History Project 2019 title ID 5855 Accessed 2023 01 10 Cooper Maria Susanna Jane Shore to her friend a poetical epistle By the authoress of The exemplary mother amp c The Women s Print History Project 2019 title ID 5845 Accessed 2023 01 10 Cooper Maria Susanna Wife or Caroline Herbert By the late author of the Exemplary Mother The Women s Print History Project 2019 title ID 8222 Accessed 2023 01 10 External links edit Maria Susanna Cooper 20 August 1737 03 July 1807 Orlando Women s Writing in the British Isles from the Beginnings to the Present Cambridge University Press Accessed 2023 01 10 Cooper Maria Susanna The Women s Print History Project 2019 Person ID 1907 Accessed 2023 01 10 Works by Maria Susanna Cooper at Open Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Maria Susanna Cooper amp oldid 1197667072, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.