Caroline Clive

Caroline Clive (24 June 1801 - 13 July 1872) was an English poet and novelist who wrote under the pen name of "V".

Caroline Clive (1801-1872), Poems (1872). Forgotten Books, 2018. Courtesy Amazon.com.

Life

Clive was born Caroline Meysey-Wigley, the 2nd daughter and co-heiress of Edmund Meysey-Wigley of Shakenhurst, Worcestershire, sometime MP for Worcester, and his wife, Anna Maria, the only surviving daughter of Charles Watkins Meysey. She was born at Brompton Grove, London.

A severe illness contracted when she was 3 left her with several after-effects, including lameness.

On 10 November 1840 she married Rev. Archer Clive, the eldest surviving son of Edward Bolton Clive, for many years M.P. for Hereford.

Her health was always delicate, and for many years prior to her death she was a confirmed invalid.

Caroline Clive died on 13 July 1873 from the result of an accident, which set fire to her dress while writing in her boudoir at Whitfield in Herefordshire, surrounded by her books and papers. She had for some years previously been a confirmed invalid.

Family

Her husband, who was formerly rector of Solihull, Warwickshire, and afterwards chancellor and prebendary of Hereford Cathedral, survived her some years, and died on 17 Sept. 1878. Mrs. Clive left 2 children: Charles Meysey Bolton Clive, who succeeded to the Whitfield estate on the death of his father; and Alice, the wife of Lieutenant-colonel Wilberforce Greathed, V.C.

Writing

In 1840, her IX Poems were printed in duodecimo, and reviewed by Hartley Coleridge in the September edition of the Quarterly Review:

We suppose V stands for Victoria, and really she queens it among our fair friends. Perhaps V will think it a questionable compliment, if we say, like the late Baron Graham to Lady -, in the Assize Court at Exeter, 'We beg your ladyship's pardon, but we took you for a man.' Indeed, these few pages are distinguished by a sad Lucretian tone, such as very seldom comes from a woman's lyre. But V is a woman, and no ordinary woman certainly; though, whether spinster, wife, or widow, we have not been informed. The stanzas printed by us are, in our judgment, worthy of any one of our greatest poets in his happiest moments.

Her reputation as an authoress now mainly rests upon Paul Ferroll, a sensational novel of great power and considerable imagination. Generally accepted as the most superior of all her works, Paul Ferroll is considered the precursor of the mystery novel.

She published the following works: 1. ‘IX Poems by V.,’ London, 1840, 8vo. These poems attracted a good deal of notice at the time, and were most favorably reviewed in the Quarterly (lxvi. 408–11). A 2nd edition, including 9 other poems, was published in 1841. 2. ‘I watched the Heavens: a poem, by V.,’ London, 1842, 8vo. The volume contains only the 1st canto of this poem, which appears to have never been completed. 3. ‘The Queen's Ball, a poem, by V.,’ London, 1847, 16mo. 4. ‘The Valley of the Rea, a poem, by V.,’ London, 1851, 8vo. 5. ‘The Morlas, a poem, by V.,’ London, 1853, 8vo. 6. ‘Paul Ferroll, a Tale, by the author of “IX Poems by V.,”’ London, 1855, 8vo. This novel has passed through a number of editions, and has been translated into French by Madame H. Loreau. In the fourth edition a concluding chapter was added bringing the story down to the death of Paul Ferroll. 7. ‘Poems by the author of “Paul Ferroll,” including a new edition of “IX Poems by V.” with former and recent additions,’ London, 1856, 8vo. In this collection the last of the IX Poems is omitted, and only 4 of the additional poems contained in the 2nd edition of 1841 are included. In addition to the above-mentioned poems, numbered 3, 4, and 5 respectively, 8 other pieces, not printed in the previous editions, are given. 8. ‘Year after Year, by the author of “Paul Ferroll” and “IX Poems,”’ London, 1858, 12mo. 2 editions were published of this book. 9. ‘Why Paul Ferroll killed his Wife, by the author of “Paul Ferroll,”’ London, 1860, 12mo. Though the names of the characters are different, the object of this novel is to explain the opening chapter of ‘Paul Ferroll.’ It is not, however, at all equal in power to its predecessor. It has passed through several editions. 10. ‘John Greswold, by the author of “Paul Ferroll,” &c. &c.,’ in 2 vols., London, 1864, 8vo. 11. ‘Poems by V., author of “Paul Ferroll,” including the “IX Poems,”’ London, 1872, 8vo. In this collection the last of the IX Poems is again omitted, and 12 additional poems are given besides others which appeared in former editions. It is not, however, by any means a complete collection of her poems.

Publications

• IX Poems by V. London, Saunders & Otley, 1840.
• I Watched the Heavens: A poem. London, Saunders & Otley, 1842.
• The Queen's Ball: A poem. London, Saunders & Otley, 1847.
• The Valley of the Rea: A poem. London: 1851.
• The Morlas: A poem. London: Hope, 1853
• Poems. London, Saunders & Otley, 1856.
• Poems: Including the IX poems.. London: Longmans, Green, 1872.

Novels

• Paul Ferroll: A tale. London, Saunders & Otley, 1855.
• Year after year: A tale. London, Saunders & Otley, 1858; Leipzig: B. Tauchnitz, 1858.
• Why Paul Ferroll Killed his Wife. London, Saunders & Otley, 1860.
• John Greswold. London : Hurst and Blackett, 1864.

Journal

• Caroline Clive: From the diary and family papers of Mrs. Archer Clive, 1801-1873. London: Bodley Head, 1949.

Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.

10 Old Age Carolyn Clive Short Poetry Collection 036 POEM

See also

• List of British poets

References

•  Barker, George Fisher Russell (1887) "Clive, Caroline" in Stephen, Leslie Dictionary of National Biography 11 London: Smith, Elder, p. 103  . Wikisource, Web, Mar. 7, 2017.

External links

Poems

• "Old Age"
• Caroline Clive at Poetry Nook (27 poems)

Books

• Caroline Clive at Amazon.com

About

• Caroline Clive at My Poetic Side
• Caroline Clive at Victorian Fiction Research Guides

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain, the Dictionary of National Biography (edited by Leslie Stephen & Sidney Lee). London: Smith, Elder, 1885-1900. Original article is at: Clive, Caroline