Elizabeth Lee

“ Although Lady Hardy had always been fond of writing, she did not turn seriously to literature until after her marriage. Her first important novel, 'Paul Wynter's Sacrifice,' was published in 1869. It had a success, and was translated into French. A new edition came out in 1881. Her next novel, 'Daisy Nicholl' (1870) , achieved a great success in America. In 1880 and 1881, respectively, Lady Hardy travelled in the United States. ”

“ Her translation has passed through many editions and ranks high among English versions. It keeps fairly close to the original.
But Miss Swanwick did not confine herself to literary work. She took a keen interest in many social questions of the day, and especially in that of women's education, and in raising the moral and intellectual tone of the working classes. ”

“ Many of her writings were published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. They went through many editions and were much read in America. 'By the Mystery of Thy Holy Incarnation' (1890) contains the epitome of her religious faith. In politics she was a strong and decided liberal. Among her friends and correspondents were Pusey, Archbishop Tait, Liddon, Jowett, and Charles Kingsley.
The best portrait of her is a crayon drawing done after her death by Miss Hill, Frognal, Hampstead, in whose possession it still is. A picture of her as a girl is in the possession of Robert Charles. ”

“ Craven gave up their house at Naples and spent some time in Paris and Rome. Craven's affairs went from bad to worse, and it became necessary for Mrs. Craven to earn money by her pen. 'Fleurange' was ready in 1870, but it was difficult to find a French publisher. Mrs. Craven thought of trying her skill in English, but had not command enough over the language to write a book in it. In 1871 'Fleurange' was accepted by the 'Correspondant.' It was in a fifth edition by 1872, was crowned by the French academy, and was translated into English by E. Bowles. ”

“ The plan was most successful, women coming long distances to attend the lectures. It was therefore determined to open a house of residence in Cambridge to accommodate the students, and Miss Clough was asked to be its head. She began work at a house in Regent Street, Cambridge, in October 1871 with five students, and out of that beginning was evolved Newnham College. In 1872 Miss Clough removed to the more convenient premises known as Merton Hall, but the number of students so increased that in 1874 a new house again became imperative. ”

“ In 1854 she married Hugh Graham Marshall, who was in the service of the West of England bank. The early years of her married life were spent at Wells, Exeter, and Gloucester; and Longfellow, in reference to the continual flitting from one cathedral town to another, called her 'Queen of Summer, temple-haunting Martlet.' There were three sons and four daughters of the marriage. She finally settled at Clifton, and began to write from a desire to amuse and instruct young people. ”

“ She was instrumental in founding the North of England council for promoting the higher education of women, and was its secretary from 1867, the year of its establishment, until 1870, and its president from 1873 to 1874, in which year it was dissolved. ”

“ Her father was a great friend of Sir Walter Scott, and it is said that Miss Skene as a child used to sit on the great novelist's knee and tell him fairy tales. In 1838 the family moved to Greece on account of Mrs. Skene 's health. Skene built a villa near Athens, in which they lived for some time. They returned to England in 1845, and lived first at Leamington and afterwards at Oxford.
Miss Skene was a very accomplished woman and devoted to good" works. When, in 1854, cholera broke out at Oxford, she took part, under Sir Henry Acland [q. v. Suppl.] , in organising a band of nurses. ”

“ She remained all her life a strong Anglican, but with a wide tolerance. She numbered among her closest friends Roman catholics, nonconformists, and many of no pronounced faith.
Miss Rundle published her first original book, 'Tales and Sketches of Christian Life in different Lands and Ages,' in 1800. In 1851 she married Andrew Paton Charles, and went to live at Hampstead. Her husband owned a soap and candle factory at Wapping, and Mrs. Charles worked along the employés and among the poor of the district. ”

“ This enormous production was stimulated by heavy losses in 1878, when the failure of the West of England bank not only swept away her husband's income and position, but involved him as a shareholder in certain liabilities. ”

“ In the latter years of her life she was much attracted to spiritualism. Although a Roman catholic, she received permission from her director, Father Dalgairn of the Brompton oratory, to pursue researches of the kind in the cause of science. 'There is no Death,' published in 1891, gives a detailed account of the various media with whom she came in contact, and of the séances she attended. Although it bears evident marks of the author's sincerity, it is difficult to believe that a large element of fiction does not enter into the volume. ”

“ Byrne died at her residence, 16 Montagu Street, Portman Square, London, on 29 March 1894. She was a woman of versatile talents; she knew dead and modern languages, illustrated many of her books with her own hand, understood music, and was a good talker and correspondent. ”

“ A woman of varied accomplishments, she added to the rôles of author and novelist those of playwright, comedy actress, operatic singer, giver of lectures and entertainments, and manager of a school of journalism. ”

“ Her verse is mainly characterised by lyrical charm, graceful fancy, pathos, close and accurate observation of nature, and sympathy with the common interests of life. The language is invariably clear and simple. ”

“ She was a member of the councils both of Queen's and Bedford Colleges, London, and was for some time president of the latter. She assisted in the founding of Girton College, Cambridge, and Somerville Hall, Oxford, and in extending the King's College lectures to women. ”

“ All the histories have lately been revised and brought out in new editions, some illustrated with engravings after designs by Sir John Gilbert. Some of the plays for young people, mostly adaptations of well-known fairy tales, are now in a sixteenth edition. She wrote altogether over sixty books. ”

“ Other works by Mrs, Banks are: 1. 'Ivy Leaves : a Collection of Poems,' 1844. 2. 'Daisies in the Grass : Songs and Poems ' Twith her husband) , 1865. 3, 'Stung to the Quick,' 1867, 3 vols.; 1893. 4, 'Glory: a Wiltshire Story,' 1877, 3 vols.; 1892. 5. 'Ripples and Breakers' (a collection of her later poems) , 1878, 1893. 6. ”

“ Sketches of Military Life,’ 1862, 3 vols. ‘Cosas de España, illustrative of Spain and the Spaniards as they are,’ 1866, 2 vols. ‘Pictures of Hungarian Life’ (illustrated by the author) , 1869. ‘Feudal Castles of France’ (illustrated from the author's sketches) , 1869. ‘Curiosities of the Search Room: a Collection of Serious and Whimsical Wills,’ 1880. . ‘De Omnibus Rebus: an Old Man's Discursive Ramblings on the Road of Everyday Life,’ 1888. ”

“ Other works are: 1. 'Fair Lusitania,' 1874. 2. 'The Old Regime: Court, Salons, and Theatres,' 2 vols. 1880. 3. 'The French Court and Society: Reign of Louis XVI and First Empire,' 2 vols. 1881. 4. 'The Court of the Tuileries from the Restoration to the Flight of Louis Philippe,' 2 vols. 1883. 5. 'The Court of France in the Sixteenth Century, 151459,' 2 vols. 1885. 6. 'The Last of the Valois and Accession of Henry of Navarre, 1559-89,' 2 vols. 1888. 7. 'The First of the Bourbons,' 2 vols. 1890. ”

“ Dutch translation, 1884. 'Joan the Maid,' 1879. 'Sketches of the Women of Christendom,' 1880. 'Songs Old and New' (collected poems) , 1882; new edit. 1894. 'An Old Story of Bethlehem,' 1884. Between 1885 and 1896 she published sixteen religious 'books for the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. ”

“ Albans, or the Prisoners of Hope,' 1853. 5. 'The Ministry of Consolation,' 1854. 6. 'Penitentiaries and Reformatories,' 1865. 7. 'The Shadows of the Holy Week,' 1883. 8. 'A Strange Inheritance,' 3 vols., 1886. 9. 'The Lesters, a Novel,' 2 vols., 1887. 10. 'Awakened' ('Christian World Annual') , 1888. 11. 'A Test of the Truth,' 1897.
[Times, 10 Oct. 1899; Allibone's Diet. Suppl. ii. 1351.] ”