Lady Sophia Burrell (?1750-1802) as Hebe. Portrait by Henry Bone (1755-1834), 1804. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
Lady Sophia Burrell (?1750 - 20 June 1802) was an English poet and playwright.
Life[]
She was born about 1750 as Sophia Raymond, the eldest daughter of Charles Raymond of Valentines, Essex.[1] [2]
On 13 April 1773 she married William Burrell, member of Parliament for Haslemere, and came into possession, it is said, of £100,000. A baronetcy was granted to her father in 1774, the year after her marriage, with remainder to her husband and her male issue by him.[2]
In 1787 her husband's health failed, and they retired to a seat at Deepdene.[2]
In 1796 Sir William Burrell died, Lady Burrell having had 2 sons and 2 daughters by him; and on 23 May 1797 she was married, at Marylebone Church, by the Bishop of Kildare,[3] to Rev. William Clay, a son of Richard Augustus Clay of Southwell, Nottinghamshire.[2]
Lady Burrell and Rev. Clay retired to West Cowes, Isle of Wight, where she died, 20 June 1802, aged about 52.[2]
Writing[]
From 1773 to 1782 Lady Burrell's pen was employed on vers de société, varied by such heavier matter as Comala, from Ossian, in 1784.[2]
Lady Burrell published in 1793, 2 volumes of collected poems anonymously; and in 1794, the Thymriad from Xenophon, and Telemachus, with her name attached.[2]
In 1800 Lady Burrell produced 2 tragedies: Maximian, dedicated to William Lock; and Theodora, dedicated by permission to Duchess Georgiana of Devonshire.[2]
Recognition[]
In 1814 Lady Burrell's tragedy Theodora was reprinted in The New British Theatre (vol. i.).[2]
Publications[]
Poetry[]
- Poems. (2 volumes), London: J. Cooper, for Leigh & Sotheby / T. Payne / J. Robson, 1793.
Plays[]
- Theodora; or, The Spanish daughter: A tragedy. London: Luke Hansard, for Leigh & Sotheby, 1800.
- A Search after perfection: A comedy, in five acts (in New British Theatre, Volume III). London: A.J. Valpy, for Henry Colburn, 1814.
- Villario: a play in five acts. in New British Theatre, Volume II. London: A.J. Valpy, for 1814.
Translated[]
- Xenophon, The Thymriad: A poem (from Cyropedia). London: Leigh & Sotheby / T. Payne / J. Robson, 1794.
- Fenelon, Telemachus (verse). London: Leigh & Sotheby / T. Payne / J. Robson, 1794.
- Corneille, Maximian: a tragedy. London: Luke Hansard, for Leigh & Sotheby, 1800.
Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.[4]
See also[]
References[]
Humphreys, Jennett (1886) "Burrell, Sophia" in Stephen, Leslie Dictionary of National Biography 7 London: Smith, Elder, p. 442
Notes[]
External links[]
- Books
- Sophia Burrell at Amazon.com
- About
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: Burrell, Sophia
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