by George J. Dance
Juliana Mary Louisa Probyn (12 April 1856 - 29 March 1909) was an English poet,[1] who wrote under the pen name May Probin.
Pansies: A book of poems, 1894. Courtesy Internet Archive.
Life[]
Youth and education[]
Probyn was born in France, the eldest of 4 children, to Mary Christiana (Spicer) and John Webb Probyn.[2]
She was educated in Brussels.[2]
Career[]
She published a novel in 1878, and became a catholic convert in the following decade.[3]
Probyn is known to have been a friend of W.B. Yeats.[1] Thomas Westwood, the fishing writer, was another friend. [3]
Little else is known of her: Reviewing her 1881 Poems, the Westminster Review commented: "Who May Probyn may be we known not."[2]
She died in 1909 and is buried in the Roman catholic cemetery at Mortlake, London.[1]
Reviews of Probyn's debut collection. Courtesy Internet Archive.
Writing[]
The Dictionary of Literary Biography says of her: "Probyn was one of a group of little-known 19th-century women poets in whose work there has begun to be a revival of interest. Critics are now recognizing that the witty social criticism that was a major theme for these poets is important to understanding the period. Probyn as an individual has so far received little critical attention, but her humor and satire, which break the sentimental stereotype of Victorian women's poetry, and her astute commentary on the position of women deserve to be rediscovered."[2]
Recognition[]
Her poem "Is it Nothing to You?" was included in the 1939 Oxford Book of English Verse, 1250-1918.[4]
Probyn's texts have been set to music by American composers such as Henry Hadley and William Harold Neidlinger.[5]
Publications[]
Poetry[]
- Poems. London: W.Satchell, 1881.
- A Ballad of the Road, and other poems. London: W. Satchell, 1883.
- Pansies: A book of poems. London: Elkin Mathews, 1894.
Novels[]
- Once! Twice! Thrice! and Away! A novel. London: 1878.
- Robert Tresilian: A story. London: 1880.
- Who Killed Cock Robin? A tale". London: Literary Production Committee, 1880.
'More than they that watch for the morning', by May Probyn (1856-1909). Read by Gigi Burgdorf. With text on screen.
Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.[6]
See also[]
References[]
- "May Probyn", Victorian Women Poets (edited by William B. Thesing). Volume 199 of the Dictionary of Literary Biography, 1998.
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Probyn, May, Androom, Web, June 16, 2012.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 May Probyn biography, Dictionary of Literary Biography, Thomson-Gale 2005-2006, BookRags.com, Web, June 16, 2012.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 May Probyn, People Pill. Web, Feb. 12, 2021.
- ↑ May Probyn, Oxford Book of English Verse (Oxford: Clarendon, 1939), Digital Poets Society, Web, June 16, 2012.
- ↑ May Probyn, Song of America. Web, Feb. 12, 2021.
- ↑ Search results = au:May Probin, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Oct. 27, 2013.
External links[]
- Poems
- "Is It Nothing to You?"
- Christmas Carol"
- "The Beloved"
- Juliana Mary Louisa Probyn at AllPoetry (4 poems)
- May Probyn at Poetry Nook (21 poems)
- Books
- May Probyn at Amazon.com
- About
- May Probyn at PeoplePill
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