Davis was born in Ireland: nothing is known about her childhood, including her birth name. Comments by Jonathan Swift, who was at Trinity College Dublin with her husband, suggest that she grew up in conditions of poverty and obscurity. She married Peter Davys, master of the free school of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, and had two daughters both of whom seem to have died in infancy. Despite her lack of family connections, she had a number of socially prominent friends, including Margaret Walker, daughter of Sir John Jeffreyson, judge of the Court of Common Pleas (Ireland). After being widowed in 1698, she moved to London in 1700 in order to make a living.[1]
Writing careeredit
She published The Amours of Alcippus and Lucippe, with a dedication to Margaret Walker, in 1704, and "The Fugitive," dedicated to Esther Johnson (Swift's "Stella"), in 1705. She claims in the Introduction to The Works of Mrs. Davys (1725) that she abandoned The Amours while in press to go north, probably to York. In 1716, she returned to London for the production of her play, The Northern Heiress, or the Humours of York, a comedy critical of the marriage market. Initially produced in York in 1715, it debuted in London at Lincoln's Inn Fields. The production ran for three nights, crucial for Davys as the receipts from the third night traditionally went to the playwright.
She spent some more time in London, hoping to have a successful writing career. In early 1718, Davys's novel Familiar Letters Betwixt a Gentleman and a Lady was printed by J. Roberts attributed to the pseudonym "Little Dick Fisher" and titled Love and Friendship Inseparable Betwixt Different Sexes, not appearing under her own name until it was published in The Works (1725).[2] This textual variant ran to at least two editions, reprinted for H. Meere in 1722, as advertised in The London Journal.[3] Despite this relative success, in about 1718 she abandoned the hope of staying in London. The note "As it was to be performed at the Drury Lane Theatre" on the title page of The Self-Rivals indicates possible disappointment. Instead, she moved to Cambridge, where she established a coffee house. Her chief patrons were the students at St. John's College, Cambridge, whom she thanks in her prefaces for their help.[1]
In Cambridge, she turned to writing the novels for which she is best known. The Reform'd Coquet is a successful early example of the "novel of education", "the true paradigm of the central female tradition in the eighteenth-century novel [which] contains the key character type: 'the mistaken heroine who reforms' and learns to appreciate a worthy, if sober, man."[4] Her Familiar Letters, which satirises the upper classes and their political affiliations, is an example of a successful epistolary novel before Samuel Richardson. Her writing is often direct, even blunt: for example, Sir John Galliard, the main character in The accomplish'd Rake, a debauched womanizer, is presented without euphemism. She was attacked in The Grub-Street Journal in 1731 for being "bawdy" but she "replied with vigour."[5]
Later lifeedit
Her response to a satirical letter in "The Grub Street Journal" refers to shaking hands and bad eyesight. She lived in Cambridge until her death after a period of ill health. She was buried in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Cambridge on 5 July 1732.[4]
Worksedit
Collected worksedit
The works of Mrs. Davys: Consisting of, Plays, Novels, Poems, and Familiar Letters. Several of which never before publish'd. In two volumes. (London: H. Woodfall, 1725.)
Novelsedit
The amours of Alcippus and Lucippe. A novel. Written by A lady. (James Round, 1704; revised as The Lady's Tale for Works, 1725)
The Fugitive (1705; revised as The Merry Wanderer for Works, 1725)
Familiar letters betwixt a gentleman and lady (published in the Works of 1725; initially pseudonymously printed for J. Roberts as Love and Friendship in 1718)
^ abcDavys, Mary (1999). Bowden, Martha F. (ed.). The Reform'd Coquet ; or, Memoirs of Amoranda ; Familiar Letters Betwixt a Gentleman and a Lady ; and, the Accomplish'd Rake, or, Modern Fine Gentleman. Lexington, Ky.: Univ. Press of Kentucky. ISBN9780813109695. OCLC 40738908.
^Wood, Hamish John (2022). ""Every Rascally Scribbler": Mary Davys's Novel Innovations in a Newly Identified Pseudonymous Text, Love and Friendship (1718)". Women's Writing. 30: 33–51. doi:10.1080/09699082.2022.2120281. S2CID 252150550. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
^"Advertisement for H. Meere". The London Journal. No. 174. 24 November 1722.
^ abcBackscheider, Paula R.. “Davys, Mary (1674–1732).” Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Ed. H. C. G. Matthew and Brian Harrison. Oxford: OUP, 2004. Accessed 23 July 2022.
^"Davys, Mary." The Feminist Companion to Literature in English. Virginia Blain et al., eds. New Haven and London: Yale UP, 1990, p. 272.
^"Davys, Mary." The Women's Print History Project, 2019, Person ID 2082. Accessed 2022-07-23. (WPHP)
Further readingedit
Backscheider, Paula R.. “Davys, Mary (1674–1732).” Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Ed. H. C. G. Matthew and Brian Harrison. Oxford: OUP, 2004. 16 November 2006.
"Davys, Mary." The Feminist Companion to Literature in English. Virginia Blain et al., eds. New Haven and London: Yale UP, 1990. 271–272.
mary, davys, courtly, dancer, actress, moll, davis, similar, names, mary, davies, 1674, 1732, irish, novelist, playwright, title, page, comedy, northern, heiress, humours, york, 1716, born1674irelanddied1732resting, placechurch, holy, sepulchre, cambridgeoccup. For the courtly dancer and actress see Moll Davis For similar names see Mary Davies Mary Davys 1674 1732 was an Irish novelist and playwright 1 Mary DavysTitle page of Mary Davys comedy The Northern Heiress or The Humours of York 1716 Born1674IrelandDied1732Resting placeChurch of the Holy Sepulchre CambridgeOccupationwriterLanguageEnglishYears active1704 1727Notable workThe Reform d Coquet 1724 SpousePeter Davys Literature portal Contents 1 Early life 2 Writing career 3 Later life 4 Works 4 1 Collected works 4 2 Novels 4 3 Plays 4 4 Poetry 5 References 6 Further reading 7 See alsoEarly life editDavis was born in Ireland nothing is known about her childhood including her birth name Comments by Jonathan Swift who was at Trinity College Dublin with her husband suggest that she grew up in conditions of poverty and obscurity She married Peter Davys master of the free school of St Patrick s Cathedral Dublin and had two daughters both of whom seem to have died in infancy Despite her lack of family connections she had a number of socially prominent friends including Margaret Walker daughter of Sir John Jeffreyson judge of the Court of Common Pleas Ireland After being widowed in 1698 she moved to London in 1700 in order to make a living 1 Writing career editShe published The Amours of Alcippus and Lucippe with a dedication to Margaret Walker in 1704 and The Fugitive dedicated to Esther Johnson Swift s Stella in 1705 She claims in the Introduction to The Works of Mrs Davys 1725 that she abandoned The Amours while in press to go north probably to York In 1716 she returned to London for the production of her play The Northern Heiress or the Humours of York a comedy critical of the marriage market Initially produced in York in 1715 it debuted in London at Lincoln s Inn Fields The production ran for three nights crucial for Davys as the receipts from the third night traditionally went to the playwright She spent some more time in London hoping to have a successful writing career In early 1718 Davys s novel Familiar Letters Betwixt a Gentleman and a Lady was printed by J Roberts attributed to the pseudonym Little Dick Fisher and titled Love and Friendship Inseparable Betwixt Different Sexes not appearing under her own name until it was published in The Works 1725 2 This textual variant ran to at least two editions reprinted for H Meere in 1722 as advertised in The London Journal 3 Despite this relative success in about 1718 she abandoned the hope of staying in London The note As it was to be performed at the Drury Lane Theatre on the title page of The Self Rivals indicates possible disappointment Instead she moved to Cambridge where she established a coffee house Her chief patrons were the students at St John s College Cambridge whom she thanks in her prefaces for their help 1 In Cambridge she turned to writing the novels for which she is best known The Reform d Coquet is a successful early example of the novel of education the true paradigm of the central female tradition in the eighteenth century novel which contains the key character type the mistaken heroine who reforms and learns to appreciate a worthy if sober man 4 Her Familiar Letters which satirises the upper classes and their political affiliations is an example of a successful epistolary novel before Samuel Richardson Her writing is often direct even blunt for example Sir John Galliard the main character in The accomplish d Rake a debauched womanizer is presented without euphemism She was attacked in The Grub Street Journal in 1731 for being bawdy but she replied with vigour 5 Later life editHer response to a satirical letter in The Grub Street Journal refers to shaking hands and bad eyesight She lived in Cambridge until her death after a period of ill health She was buried in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Cambridge on 5 July 1732 4 Works editCollected works edit The works of Mrs Davys Consisting of Plays Novels Poems and Familiar Letters Several of which never before publish d In two volumes London H Woodfall 1725 Novels edit The amours of Alcippus and Lucippe A novel Written by A lady James Round 1704 revised as The Lady s Tale for Works 1725 The Fugitive 1705 revised as The Merry Wanderer for Works 1725 The Reform d Coquet or Memoirs of Amoranda published by subscription 1724 Included with revisions in Works Went into seven editions by 1760 6 Familiar letters betwixt a gentleman and lady published in the Works of 1725 initially pseudonymously printed for J Roberts as Love and Friendship in 1718 The accomplish d rake or Modern fine gentleman 1727 The False Friend or the Treacherous Portuguese written c 1704 published as The Cousins in Works 1725 Plays edit The Northern Heiress or The Humours of York 1716 debuted in 1715 at the Market House in York and in London at Lincoln s Inn Fields in April 1716 4 The Self Rival unpublished until Works 1725 Poetry edit The Modern Poet unpublished until Works 1725 References edit a b c Davys Mary 1999 Bowden Martha F ed The Reform d Coquet or Memoirs of Amoranda Familiar Letters Betwixt a Gentleman and a Lady and the Accomplish d Rake or Modern Fine Gentleman Lexington Ky Univ Press of Kentucky ISBN 9780813109695 OCLC 40738908 Wood Hamish John 2022 Every Rascally Scribbler Mary Davys s Novel Innovations in a Newly Identified Pseudonymous Text Love and Friendship 1718 Women s Writing 30 33 51 doi 10 1080 09699082 2022 2120281 S2CID 252150550 Retrieved 2 November 2022 Advertisement for H Meere The London Journal No 174 24 November 1722 a b c Backscheider Paula R Davys Mary 1674 1732 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Ed H C G Matthew and Brian Harrison Oxford OUP 2004 Accessed 23 July 2022 Davys Mary The Feminist Companion to Literature in English Virginia Blain et al eds New Haven and London Yale UP 1990 p 272 Davys Mary The Women s Print History Project 2019 Person ID 2082 Accessed 2022 07 23 WPHP Further reading editBackscheider Paula R Davys Mary 1674 1732 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Ed H C G Matthew and Brian Harrison Oxford OUP 2004 16 November 2006 Davys Mary The Feminist Companion to Literature in English Virginia Blain et al eds New Haven and London Yale UP 1990 271 272 See also editList of 18th century British working class writers Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mary Davys amp oldid 1179879040, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
